The PotionsMaster and the KnowitAll
by Antigonesev
Summary: Kind of an dark twist on a time-turner fic, SSHG all the way also RLOMC mentioned
1. Welcome to Hogwarts

"The Potions Master and the Know it All" by Antigonesev   
  
(A/N : much thanks to my beta, Keita! thank you! Also, the standard disclaimer: Sev, Hermione, and all others belong to J.K. although I'm having a bit of fun with them!)  
  
Jamie Potter glared at the small sixteen year old Slytherin Prefect, his overlarge hooked nose stuck in a book as he stalked down the corridor, his book bag at his hip and his robes flaring around his slim frame. He had detested the boy ever since he could remember. Glancing to make sure Professors McGonagall and Snape weren't watching, he deftly stuck out his foot and tripped the Slytherin, who went sprawling across his books, scrolls scattering everywhere as the boy smashed his nose on the stones. A resounding crack echoed in the hall as he disappeared.   
  
"What did you do, you foolish boy?!" McGonagall shouted, attracted to the noise, which sounded much like someone Apparating. McGonagall dragged Jamie Potter all the way to Dumbledore's office, fuming over the fact that one of her own Prefects had dared hex a Slytherin Prefect, much less the son of a professor, even though the aforementioned professor wasn't very much liked.   
  
"Well, we'll have to see what developments occur. Mr. Potter, you may go. Minerva, you had better go inform the Snapes of the occurrence concerning young Mr. Snape." Dumbledore said with a thin smile on his lips. After he dismissed Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley's brash, young, seventeen year old son, James Potter II. Minerva McGonagall went off to inform Severus and Hermione, for the two would be distraught at the lack of their son's presence in the Slytherin common room. Minerva detested being the bearer of sad news, but someone had to do it.   
  
The boy moaned quietly to himself, gathering up his books and scrolls, staggering up to a standing position, leaning slightly at the wall. He was fuming, how dare the git Potter pull such a dirty trick? Well, he'd had it, he would go straight to Dumbledore and insist that Potter, Weasley, and Longbottom were to be expelled this instant. The sixteen year old Prefect shot a dark glare which sent Mrs. Norris skittering in the opposite direction as he shouted the password to the gargoyle. Nothing happened. He knew the password was correct, his father had given it to him earlier this morning.   
  
"Snowcone! Gumdrop! Jawbreaker! Snickers!" the boy screamed at the gargoyle, nearing tears, an ugly bruise on his cheek, his raven hair unkempt in strands around his face, his black robes billowing about as he flailed his arms in anger. Finally, after a long thought, the boy whispered the failsafe password, and the gargoyle opened to reveal the staircase to Dumbledore's office. The sixteen year old youth breezed right in the office, demanding that Potter, Weasley, and Longbottom be expelled, they were poor excuses of Gryffindors. Dumbledore merely gazed at the boy, his eyes wide as he was sucking on a lemon drop.   
  
"Well, have a seat, my boy, and let's get acquainted."   
  
"Huh? Albus, can't you do anything?"   
  
"My boy, I cannot do anything until you tell me of your name."   
  
"It's me, Saxen Lupin Snape, don't you remember?" the boy said, frowning at Albus Dumbledore. " I was born, right in the middle of the final battle against You Know Who, no less."   
  
"However, how could this be possible?" Dumbledore asked as he offered Saxen an cup of tea, the boy accepting the tea and explaining his theory, his time-turner had broken upon his fall and a hex inflicted by Jamie Potter.   
  
Dumbledore spoke quietly after a quiet pause, looking over the boy with a critical eye, fingering the calendar on his desk. "When were you born?" Dumbledore asked with a small tremor in his voice, he did not want to think of a final battle against Voldemort coming up soon.   
  
Saxen said in a whisper. "I was born in January 2004."   
  
"Oh dear." Dumbledore said with a small sigh as he glanced at the date on the calendar with a frown. "I guess you will be here for a while until we can rouse up another time turner. Meanwhile, why don't we get you Sorted and continue your education."   
  
"Yes, sir, that would be wise." Saxen said with a sharp nod of agreement as the Sorting hat was put on his head, confident he would end up in Slytherin, after all, he was a Slytherin Prefect in the year 2020. Saxen's face contorted into a mask of rage when the hat declared him perfect for Gryffindor. Saxen muttered a few choice curse words as he threw the hat to the ground. Dumbledore merely tsked quietly at the sixteen year old, whose robes had changed to accommodate his current House and Era. Saxen hissed through his teeth sharply, Just like Severus, Dumbledore thought offhandedly as Minerva McGonagall had entered to escort Saxen to Gryffindor Tower.   
  
"Minerva, this is Saxen Lupin Snape, and he will be temporarily staying with us."   
  
"I see. I must ask, a Snape in Gryffindor?" McGonagall asked Saxen, a curious look dancing in her eyes. Saxen scowled, and pinched the bridge of his nose much like Severus did when he was annoyed.   
  
"My mum was a Gryffindor, back in her day." Saxen said ever so quietly, quirking his eyebrow and laughing weakly as he was led by McGonagall to Gryffindor Tower, McGonagall studying Saxen out of the corner of her eye. He was used to that, she always did that back in his day, only it was usually aimed at his brothers.   
  
"I would like to introduce to you a new classmate, Saxen Snape. He has transferred from a private academy..."   
  
"Academie d'Merlin." Saxen replied in a slightly haughty voice, he had always wanted to go there, but his father refused, being the git he was, and his mother also had refused, she didn't want to let go of her sole rule-abiding son, the only one who actually earned House points instead of losing them daily.   
  
Harry then introduced himself and his two friends, eyeing the young Snape, who scowled down at Harry, he was still an inch taller than Harry, and hovered above Hermione, but couldn't manage to beat Ron Weasley in the heighth department. Snape scowled down at Harry.   
  
"Potter." Saxen said, shooting an icy glare at Harry, a sharp tremor shooting down his spine as his mouth went dry. Turning to Hermione, his mouth fell slightly open, his eyes studying Hermione's face with an half-concealed interest. His mother looked just like she did this morning, nothing had changed about her, except for the fact she no longer sported her wedding ring and her hair seemed frizzier than usual. "Pleased to meet you, M... Hermione." Saxen said as he bowed down to kiss Hermione's hand in a chivalrous gesture, but was stopped by Harry and Ron.   
  
"Why would she want to be kissed by a greasy Snape?" Ron asked sharply.   
  
"Potter, Weasley... " Saxen said in a chilling tone as he straightened himself up and stalked off to the boys' dormitories in a fit of rage. How dare they tell him that he could not greet his mother in the proper fashion? Of course, they didn't know, but it wouldn't be chivalrous if he hadn't properly greeted her, after all, the Snapes had not been raised in a barn, unlike the Weasleys and the Potters. Saxen scowled as he received an owl with his timetable later in the afternoon, and wonderful, he had Potions first thing in the morning, with BOTH of his parents in the same room. Joy, utter joy, Saxen thought to himself, his thought-voice dripping with sarcasm.   
  
The next morning found Saxen sitting at the Gryffindor table at 6 am, his overlarge and hooked nose in "Hogwarts, A History" for the twenty millionth time during his stay at Hogwarts. He simatenously drank a cup of coffee and began working on an Potions essay, as he knew his father's curriculum by heart, and he knew he would have not changed it one bit in sixteen years. Saxen looked up, startled, when someone finally took a seat near him. For a moment, he thought he was back in his own time. His mother and himself usually shared a quiet moment such as this once in a while in the mornings, away from his grumpy father and annoying siblings.   
  
"Hogwarts, a History?" Hermione asked, her voice revealing interest. "I've read it only a million times, how about you?"   
  
"About the same." Saxen said, chuckling, as he turned the page and took a sip of his coffee, dripping on his parchment. Saxen scowled, and flicked his wand to clean it up. Hermione raised her eyebrow at Saxen's essay.   
  
"How do you know the curriculum ahead of time, when you only arrived yesterday?"   
  
"Albus had the professors owl me the assignments." Saxen lied through his perfect white teeth.   
  
"Oh?" Hermione said, obviously not believing him, but not pressuring him for an answer. For that, he was grateful. The two fell into a conversation, and it was rudely interrupted by the arrival of Potions class. Saxen sighed and gathered up his things, heading down to the Dungeons, unaware that Hermione was studying him with a curious look in her eyes. She was quite surprised that the new boy knew his way around the dungeons as well as any other sixth-year. She arched her eyebrow at Saxen in a quiet question as she took a seat next to him, her curiosity of the boy was piqued when Saxen paused, and then nodded sharply, clearing a place for her.   
  
Snape breezed in the classroom in his usual fashion, beginning the lecture immediately. Saxen immediately began taking notes furiously, and when Snape asked a question, his and Hermione's hands were first in the air.   
  
"Ah, another eager student." Snape said, his voice dripping with sarcasm as his eyes fell on Saxen, who shivered slightly under his father's dark gaze. Saxen smiled and answered the question sharply, with an arch of his eyebrow, almost a challenge. Snape narrowed his eyes. "You've only arrived here yesterday, so I have heard, and I strongly discourage know-it-alls in my classroom, two is two too many, Mr. Snape." Snape snapped as Saxen scowled up at the dour potions-master, the class having gone quiet, not daring intrude and make him more livid than he was right at the moment, staring down at the small sixteen year old boy who looked extraordinarily like the Potions-Master.   
  
"Yes, sir." Saxen snapped as Snape ordered the class to begin their work. Saxen scowled up at his father, his eyes narrowing dangerously.   
  
Saxen frowned sharply as he put together his potion with Hermione, scowling deeply as he and Hermione deftly compared notes. He couldn't help but notice how similar he and his mother were in their studies, they had finished their potion ahead of the class. Saxen smiled, he was fully in his element in this class, having been raised by a Potions-Master. Saxen quietly conversed with Hermione, his heart in his throat the entire time, fearing he would let slip a secret, he already had messed up and given his name, he didn't want to alter the future.   
  
Snape walked up to their table, demanding to know why they were dilly-dallying around their potion, and not working at all. Saxen smiled coldly and declared that he and Hermione had made the potion in question.   
  
"You cannot, not in a half-hour." Snape said in a sharp, malicious voice.   
  
"Yes you can, if only you add doxywings and then stir counterclockwise three times, and then add ferret dung." Saxen said, his eyes glittering at Draco Malfoy, his parents had told him the story of Draco Malfoy, the Incredible Bouncing Ferret Boy. "Since my father's intelligent enough to educate me in the finer art of Potions, I chose to learn some advantages such as this." Saxen said sharply as Snape ordered them to try their veritaserum, handing a vial filled with their potion to Saxen, obviously indicating that Saxen should be the one to test it. Saxen blanched, going white, but then frowned, gently taking it from Snape, and downing it with a full gulp. Snape grinned maliciously and began his interrogation. Saxen smiled coldly and gestured for Snape to begin. Snape narrowed his eyes dangerously.   
  
"Where were you born?"   
  
"Palais d' Mal Foi." Saxen said, giving the French name for Malfoy Manor. Snape's eyes widened ever so slightly, he and only a select few knew of the alternate name. Snape's lips tightened sharply, almost holding back the next question.   
  
"Who are your parents?" Snape asked sharply, his eyebrow raised high on his forehead, giving him a sinister appearance. Saxen growled, biting back his answer, fighting the Veritaserum, staring at Snape and then Hermione, biting his lip just like his mother usually did when faced with a challenge. Saxen closed his eyes for a moment, his head spinning. "you do not have anything to hide...." Snape said in a cold tone as Saxen promptly passed out from the effort of blocking the veritaserum, hitting his head on the table as he went down, only to be caught deftly by Snape and Hermione. "Class DISMISSED!" Snape barked as students hurried out of the class, shooting looks at the pale young man unconscious on the ground of the classroom.   
  
Saxen opened a single black orb, and then another followed. He was now fully conscious, although a bit groggy. Hermione was sitting at his side, glancing concernedly at him as Snape stood foreboding above him, arms crossed, with McGonagall and Dumbledore at either side of him. Saxen forgot everything, thinking it was only a strange dream.   
  
"It was so odd." Saxen mumbled, shaking his head gently. "Mum, she was only sixteen, a student of Papa's.. and Papa made me test out the veritaserum... Grandpa Albus and Aunt Minerva didn't know me either, it was just so funny, and… " Saxen spat out the name, "Potter... was there, just... degrading." Saxen added, glaring at a stunned Hermione, her face pale beyond belief.   
  
"Mum, are you all right?" Saxen asked gently, taking her hand into his. Saxen moaned to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose much like Snape did.   
  
"Oh, sweet Circe, so it wasn't a dream... I'm really... here..." Saxen whispered sharply, swinging his bare legs over the bed, revealing a nasty scar on one of his legs, a jagged red welt angrily glaring up at everyone in the room.   
  
"How did you get that?" Snape asked, surprised that a boy this young would sport such ugly scars, unless he was the cause, Snape inwardly blanched at the thought. Saxen glanced down at the scar in surprise, and then sighed ever so quietly, giving them the barest details of an injury gained when he was a boy, exploring while his parents were away, and gaining an unwanted visitor in the form of Harry Potter. Saxen quickly stopped after mentioning Harry, and hastily threw on a pair of trousers, and left on the hospital gown over his trousers. He wasn't going to take off his shirt, he knew that if he did, his father would go ballistic at the sight of the smooth red welts on his chest, torso, and back. Saxen just couldn't explain to Hermione Granger that her best friend was a monster, an angry man bent on revenge on the man who stole Hermione from him.   
  
"Um... I'd better get going, unless Albus has found a way home for me?"   
  
"Not yet, I'm afraid." Albus Dumbledore said with a silent shake of his head. Saxen released a breath he hadn't known he had been holding for quite a while. "But perhaps it would be best for you to stay with Severus, perhaps?" Dumbledore said as he gently put his arm around Saxen, who stiffened ever so slightly and nodded sharply at Dumbledore. Snape looked down at the pale sixteen year old, whom was a carbon copy of himself. It was obvious that the boy had suffered, and Snape prayed that it wasn't by his own hand.   
  
Snape headed down to his private rooms with Saxen, noticing the ever so slight drag of his left leg, where the scar was located. Snape quietly inwardly seethed at the thought of Harry Potter laying a hand on his child. Snape harshly threw open the portrait and showed Saxen around his rooms, conjuring up a bed out of his sofa. Saxen thanked Snape, but then stopped Snape with a small whimper.   
  
"You didn't do anything, it isn't your fault, you know." Saxen said in a quiet tone as he sat on the bed, staring into the fire, retelling Snape the true story of how he had gotten the scar. Harry Potter had gone round to attempt to collect Hermione, demanding that Hermione couldn't be in love with a git like Snape, and throwing Saxen into a tall bookcase with a glass door when Saxen attempted to block Harry from entering the home. Saxen had been five years old. Snape stood still, eyeing Saxen quietly, and then moving to pour himself a shot of firewhiskey, vowing he would tear Harry Potter from limb to limb given the soonest opportunity. When he was certain the boy was asleep, he headed straight over to Dumbledore's office, where Miss Granger was currently sitting in an overstuffed chair next to Minerva.   
  
"Albus, Saxen just has enlightened me as to the situation he has gained his injury." Snape went on to inform Dumbledore that he had noticed that Saxen had numerous scars all over his chest, torso, and back, from what seemed to be an long-ago incident, Snape decided to save most of the details for when Hermione wasn't there—he couldn't bear for her to hear the dark news.   
  
"Miss Granger, you may go to your dormitory. Severus, have a seat." Dumbledore said gently, knowing what a serious issue this was. Snape nodded as he took a seat across from Dumbledore, and watched Hermione leave the room with McGonagall. "Now, I think you should inform me everything as to what Saxen informed you as to the nature of his injuries." Dumbledore said with absolutely no trace of his usual jovial twinkle. His blue eyes were cold and hard, something Snape was grateful for. Snape retold every single story Saxen had told him, beginning with the encounter of when Saxen was five, and ending with the most recent encounter at Hogwarts while Harry was on a visit to see Hermione a few weeks earlier. Dumbledore sat there, watching young Severus Snape quietly seethe.   
  
The next day, Saxen woke up to the smell of coffee and breakfast. Saxen smiled, knowing how much his father loved to cook. Saxen headed over to the small kitchen and sat down at the table, and promptly began to stuff himself full of the wonderful food. When he was fully satisfied, he looked at Snape, who was looking down at him with the strangest expression in his eyes.   
  
"You'd better get going to classes."   
  
"Yes, I should." Saxen whispered as he picked up his oversized book bag and headed up to the Great Hall to put in an appearance for breakfast.   
  
***to be continued**** 


	2. Mother & Father

The Potions-Master and Know-It-All  
  
by Antigonesev  
  
  
  
A/N: Much thanks to my reveiwers and my beta, Keita! sorry this chapter is kind of short...  
  
Saxen had just sat down to breakfast when Harry Potter and Ron Weasley cornered the boy. Saxen flinched and then chose to move down away from Harry and his red-haired counterpart, ending up in the seat next to his own mother, the place where he least wanted to be, but it was better than sitting next to Potter, Saxen surmised.   
  
"Oh... Saxen." Hermione said with a whisper, surprise in her eyes. Hermione certainly didn't expect the boy to be released from the hospital wing so soon. Saxen's dark eyes bore into Hermione's chocolate-brown ones, sending familiar shivers down her spine.   
  
"Morning." Saxen whispered silkily, as a cup of coffee appeared in front of him. Saxen hissed through his teeth as he downed the entire cup in a gulp, and dashed off to enjoy a moment of solitude in the library. He certainly did not want to spend any more time in the company of his beautiful mother, who must be going crazy with worry back in his time, at his mysterious absence. Saxen was in such a train of thought that he did not notice the shadowy figure of Hermione Granger following him to the library with curiosity dancing in her eyes. She wanted to see what her son was up to; if he was certainly a child of hers and Severus', there would be no doubt he would be up to something.  
  
  
  
Saxen thumped down his book bag and let out an quiet growl,, setting off to find any text to do with time travel or time-turner mishaps, since he did not want to spend an extra moment around Harry Potter, even though he did want to see his parents and godparents. Saxen slowly turned, feeling an unwanted presence, finding himself facing the petite figure of his own mother.   
  
"Need any help?"  
  
"I can manage, thank you." Saxen said quietly as he glanced at his Muggle watch, and grimacing. Unfortunately, at that time, Harry chose to enter the library with Ron Weasley in search of Hermione.   
  
"There you are, 'Mione. We've been looking for you." Harry said, right before he noticed the sinewy form of Saxen standing near a bookshelf, still clutching his armful of books, the color draining out of his pale face. "Snape, what are you doing? Don't you have something to do for the greasy git in the dungeons?" Harry asked with a sharp, venemous undertone.   
  
"Don't talk about him like that, Potter." Saxen snapped, mirth dancing in his eyes. Harry's eyes flashed dangerously.   
  
"Come on, 'Mione, let's go."   
  
"You've been in here long enough with that greasy git." Ron chimed in, his face going red out of irritation at the presence of Saxen.  
  
"Don't talk about him like that." Saxen said darkly, shooting an icy glare at the two, as the dark form of Professor Snape entered the library unseen by the others. Snape spied the small crowd of students standing near the Time Travel bookshelves, and slid near a bookshelf to evaluate the situation. He knew something was going on, he wasn't stupid.  
  
"Talk about him like what, Snakey?" Harry asked, stepping in front of Hermione, coming almost face-to-face with Saxen. Saxen glanced down at Harry, his pale face a mask of livid marble. Saxen bared his teeth in a dark snarl, narrowing his eyes and slowly taking a few steps back, his face going pale. "Hermione, come on.." Harry said, as he grabbed Hermione roughly away from Saxen, throwing her near Ron.   
  
Severus Snape had seen enough. He emerged from his vantage point, revealing himself to a trembling Hermione Granger, still out of view from the boys.   
  
"Miss Granger, you would be wise as to stay out of the way." Snape murmured quietly as he eyed the scene unfolding before his eyes. 


	3. Daddy's Here

A/N: sorry this update took so long. Also this and the next two chapters are un-betaed and as soon as I get them beta-ed they will be put up. Also kudos to my reviewers! love all of you! thanks for all of your suggestions. I welcome more suggestions :)  
  
Severus Snape was fuming. How dare the Potter boy accost his own son in the school library as if he owned the place? The boy was just like James, Snape thought as he watched the scene unfold before his own eyes. He had advised Miss Granger to stay out of the way, and was prepared to take any measures to protect his son, regardless of the situation....   
  
"Potter, Weasley, care to explain your situation with young Mr. Snape?" Snape asked in an icy tone, his dark eyes shooting daggers at Harry and Ron. Ron's ears went red, and Harry frowned, shooting an furitive glance at Saxen Snape, whose own dark eyes were filled with fear. Snape nearly recoiled in surprise at the sight of the fear in his own son's eyes. Snape nearly lost it, deducting a hundred points from Harry and Ron, each, for disrupting the peace and attempting to harrass a fellow student.   
  
"We were just ..." Harry began, but another dark glare from Snape quieted him down, and Harry slunk off with Ron towards the Great Hall, but not after asking Hermione to join them. Hermione just stared at Harry as if he had sprouted another head, shocked at his rude behavior and insisted she would stay.  
  
  
  
After Harry and Ron left, Saxen collapsed to the ground, trembling and gripping his books tightly, his raven hair covering his face. Snape stood there, wanting to comfort his son. He could not find any words of comfort, but instead, he knealt down near Saxen, and let out a small sigh, his obsidian eyes meeting the twin set of his own eyes.  
  
Saxen thought he had died, he was trembling so hard, memories of Harry Potter kept running through his mind. Saxen was just glad his father had been there, he didn't know what he could have done without his father's presence. Saxen suddenly remembered the other reason he was trembling; he had been talking with his own mother. His own mother, the woman who a few days ago had sent his sister and brother an Howler, she didn't seem like the quiet, demure student she was back in Harry Potter's time. Saxen suddenly snapped out of his thoughts, at the sound of his father's small sigh.   
  
"It's no big deal, really." Saxen whispered as his father's dark eyes scanned his own. Saxen prayed that his father would see through his deception.   
  
"All right, I will let you go, but next time you should go see the Headmaster." Snape said after an awkard pause as he unfolded his lithe body from the floor and helped up Saxen. As the two approached Hermione, Hermione slowly let a small, awkard smile grace her lips.   
  
"Are you all right?" Hermione asked.   
  
"Yes... I'm fine." Saxen said as he clutched his books even tighter to his chest, momentarily expecting his sister and brothers to burst into the room, shouting about dungbombs or Peeves. Instead, Saxen went down the hall, thinking to himself about how he could be brought back to his present day Hogwarts, leaving his parents behind him. He knew if he mentioned anything more, he would jeopardize his own future, and everyone else's also. What a responsibility for a sixteen year old prefect, at least it wasn't Remea, Saxen thought of his younger sister with a thin smile, the smile fading at the memory of seeing his own sister on the floor in a puddle of her own blood, Harry Potter standing above her with a thin, twisted sneer on his features, the dark copy of his father's own sneer.   
  
Saxen found himself standing in front of the DADA classroom, hovering in the doorway. Saxen tried to swallow down a wave of nausea and bile rising into his throat as he ran off to the bathroom to heave his insides into a shiny toilet bowl. A few minutes later while he washed his face down, Saxen had made an decision, and smiled wanly as he picked up one of his books from the bathroom floor, and smiled a small smile, he knew his mother would be congratulating him right now, at his own resorcefulness.  
  
He was going to make a Potion. Not any potion, but a potion to get him back, but also to get Harry Potter back for what he did to him and his family. He was going to make everything better again. 


	4. Welcome home

Saxen quietly made his way down to his father's private stores, hoping they were still in the same place as they were in his time. He quickly lifted up his lantern and studied the door, muttering the failsafe charm to unlock the door to the stores, and smiled as the door opened slowly without an hitch. As he quickly and carefully made his way through the ingredients, his mind went over a mental list of ingredients that he needed and then dashed off to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom to begin his clandestine project.   
  
  
  
Severus Snape noticed an presence in the hallways outside his private chambers, and groaned to himeself. Stupid students, always trying to get into his stores, Snape grumbled to himself as he quickly made his way to his stores, but then stopped with a start at the sight of his own son going through his stores. The boy bit his lip in quite the same way Miss Granger did, and he moved through the bottles with a quick fluid motion of familiarity that he knew must have come from him. Snape quietly studied his son, contemplating how such a thing brought him to create such a intresting child with one of his soon to be graduate students, a Gryffindor to top it all off. Snape quickly moved back into the shadows as Saxen hurried off somewhere with the ingredients. Snape couldnt help but follow, curious as to what project the boy was up to. No doubt it was dangerous and very risky, and he did have a job to protect his own son from the dangers of brewing an potion in..... a girls' washroom?! Snape gaped momentarily, caught off guard by the sight of his son casually ducking into the haunted girls' washroom near the Great Hall. Snape pursed his lips and stalked off to his rooms, he now knew where to find the potion, and would do so later, he just needed a drink, a strong drink to clear his mind of the reeling thoughts in his mind.   
  
  
  
As the night went by, Saxen furiously mixed ingredients and muttered spells in latin, praying with all his heart that he would get some help, and be able to come back home to the future where he belonged with his family, not in the past, a year before he was due to be born. Saxen quietly leaned against the wall, watching the cauldron simmer, and carefully evaluating the colour of the potion; it had to be the right shade of blue before he could extinguish the fire and then drink it, enabling his transfer to the past.   
  
"Saxen, what are you doing in here?" A bossy voice remarked, and for a moment, Saxen felt as if he was back home, listening to his mother's frequent lecturing.   
  
"M... Hermione, uh.. " Saxen mumbled, for once at a loss of words as to what to tell his sixteen year old mother, who was facing him dressed in an bathrobe thrown over a set of flannel pyjamas, her hair a frizzy mess, and her wand held out in a rakish angle, ready for action. "I was just doing something for Professor Snape."  
  
"Somehow I do not believe you, Saxen."   
  
"Well, think what you want to think." Saxen mumbled, quickly extinguishing the fire and bottling up the potion, and then turning to face Hermione fully face to face with a small smile on his lips. He held up the potion and swirled it around in its' container and looked Hermione directly in the eyes. "It was very nice to meet you, Mother. Give Father my best regards." Saxen said with a smile as he closed his eyes and swallowed down the potion with a gulp.   
  
"Saxen!" Hermione screamed as she grabbed the boy as he fell to the floor in a heap, and moaning Myrtle began to shout and rant about the mess in her washroom. Hermione turned and was startled by a petite girl of thirteen bursting into the bathroom, and immediately ran over to Saxen's side, administering an thick, blood-red potion to the teen crumbled on the floor. After a long moment, Saxen regained cosciousness, and smiled, looking up at the girl.  
  
"Remea! how did you know to come here?"  
  
"Mum told me, of all things. Are you all right?" the girl asked, as she slowly helped up Saxen, and the two turned to Hermione. Saxen's mouth twitched in an odd grimace as the girl stared at Hermione, the girl's own freckles standing out against her suddenly pale face. "Saxy, we'd better go see Dumbledore before ..."  
  
"See Dumbledore about what?" a light, piping voice called out, as a small boy, too young to be attending Hogwarts, popped his head into the girls' room. His long brown hair swung around his face as his eyes went wide, and he darted his head out and the girl scowled deeply in a strangely familiar way. A long moment later, the boy returned, dragging an lovely looking young professor who had deep chocolate brown hair with gorgeous curls ending right below her shoulders. The woman's chocolate brown eyes widened at the sight of sixteen year old Hermione standing in between the two students. "See, I wasn't lying this time." the boy piped out.   
  
Hermione Granger couldn't believe herself. She felt as if the ability to breathe or think had ended. She was staring at an older, prettier, and more graceful verison of herself. Black darkness suddenly overtook her, and she gladly succumbed herself to the darkness, too dazed to figure out the rest. 


	5. Out of Place

Hermione woke up in the hospital wing of Hogwarts with several people studying her with intrest. Among the small crowd, Hermione picked out the familiar faces of an concerned and sheepish Saxen, an worn-out Dumbledore, an furious Minerva McGonagall, and a staid and silent ashen-faced Professor Snape.  
  
"What?" Hermione asked, wondering why everyone was staring at her, most of all, wondering why Professor Snape was staring at her like that. She didn't like the fact that he actually had glanced at her with concern showing in his eyes. It made him seem younger and more human; the harsh lines at the edge of his mouth and eyes were nearly gone; he looked so diffrent, somehow.   
  
"Why don't all of you go down to your room, and let Albus talk with our guest for a moment?" Older Hermione said, gently picking up the little boy in her arms as he fussed and grumbled, insisting that he wanted to stay. Hermione watched the little boy and her older self leave the room. Hermione was intelligent enough to figure out the results of Saxen's potion. She had been inadvertently sent into her own future, and Saxen's present-day Hogwarts. Hermione couldn't exactly pinpoint how she felt seeing herself live out her own life and know all these things about herself in the future.   
  
"Miss Granger.. I am furious with Saxen's actions as of the present, but am grateful that he was clever enough to transport himself back to his own time, without harming the time line and the outcome of the future. On the other hand, he should be punished for his carelessness." Dumbledore said sternly, as Snape narrowed his eyes and scowled deeply, exiting the room in a dark flourish, with Saxen and Remea at his side, leaving Hermione with the two professors. Hermione felt relieved at the absence of Saxen and Remea, and felt comforted by the familiar presences of McGonagall and Dumbledore. "I feel that it is neccescarry to house you with your older self, since she should be responsible for you until she can brew the neccescarry potion in order to send you back to your present-day Hogwarts." Dumbledore continued, as McGonagall studied Hermione with a grim set to her mouth. "You will continue your studies as well, there is no reason for you to abanadon your education, is that clear?"  
  
"Yes, Headmaster." Hermione said softly, not relishing the idea of being stuck with her future self and Saxen Snape. She knew Saxen Snape was the child of herself and Professor Snape, but couldn't stomach the idea of herself falling in love with Snape. The Greasy Git Snape of the Hogwarts Dungeons, Hermione thought to herself as she watched madam Pomfrey bustle around the hospital wing, getting her things ready for her move to the dungeons, to meet her older self. Hermione felt a stab of icy fear shoot through her as Madam Pomfrey smiled at her and gently helped her out of the bed. Hermione had just finished dressing, when her older self entered the room.   
  
"Hullo.. Miss Granger." her older self said softly, a small nervous smile playing on her lips. "why don't we move on, I will show you the way to our.. my.. your rooms."  
  
"Certainly..." Hermione said quietly, wondering what she should call herself, as she studied the future corridors of Hogwarts, adorned with new paintings, new photographs, new banners, and new students, as she noticed she was moving further down into the dungeons. "I thought Snape always lived in the dungeons?" Hermione asked nervously as her older self turned slightly to look back at her, and shugged as the two stopped in front of an panting of the Order of the Phoenix, Hermione saw herself, Ron, Harry, Snape, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Lupin, the weasleys, and many others in the painting. Harry, Hermione and Ron seemed to be around nineteen or twenty in the painting. Hermione raised an eyebrow quickly at the revelation of the password.  
  
"Dark Obsidian."  
  
"Intresting." Hermione whispered with a small smile as her older self's cheeks flushed lightly. Hermione followed the woman into a small room. "So, this is mine?"  
  
"Yes.. it used to be our library, but I managed to move the books into another room. Make yourself at home, and dinner is in the Great Hall at six; Saxen will fetch you."  
  
"One more thing.." Hermione asked as her older self turned to leave, pausing for the request. "What do I call you?"  
  
"Professor Snape."   
  
"What!..." Hermione gasped out lightly, as her older self raised an eyebrow remiscent of Snape, and laughed lightly.   
  
"Your dear Potions-Master is now Deputy Headmaster, and Professor of Defense against the Dark Arts. Quite an accomplishment, considering... other things." Professor Snape said lightly, leaving the room in a flurry of dark crimson robes. Hermione stood in the middle of the room, mouth slightly ajar in surprise. She eventually shook off her surprise and set herself the task of getting settled in. At Five forty five, Hermione had stepped out of the shower and recently dressed when Saxen entered the room without a sound, with a small boy trailing after him, the same little boy who had wanted to stay and see Hermione.   
  
"Dinner is now ready, Miss Granger. Would you like to dine in the kitchen with Niccolo and Remea, or in the Great Hall with myself and my parents?" Saxen asked, with all the flair of a Snape, while the little boy named Niccolo kept his dark eyes glued on Hermione.   
  
"Saxy, is she really Mum?"  
  
"Nicki!" A feminine voice shouted from down the hallway as Remea emerged from the hallway. "What did Mum say about that? now get out of here before I hex you!"  
  
"Nyah, I'm not moving. You can't make me." Nicki said, sticking his tongue out and stamping one boot-clad foot on the floor, and deftly brushing aside a lock of dark hair that had fallen into his eyes. It was obvious he would be quite an handsome man in the future, he already had silky dark hair and sparkling eyes.   
  
"I'm telling Mum."  
  
"Go and cry to Mummy, why don't you?" Nicki said in a bratty tone of voice, rolling his eyes and scoffing lightly. Hermione watched the display of the three siblings squabbling. Hermione was scared to admit to herself she could see parts of herself into all three children, and parts of Snape. It took her breath away, how two people could make three wonderful children, so diffrent from their parents, but at the same time, carbon copies of their parents.   
  
Hermione snapped out of her deep thoughts enough to shout at the three to be quiet. Nicki's eyes went wide, Remea smiled an smug smile, and Saxen remained still, his dark eyes surveying Hermione with an deep intrest, echoes of surprise in his eyes. Hermione sighed, and declared she would dine in the kitchen with Nicki, she just couldn't face the Great Hall just about now. 


	6. An intresting Dinner

A/N: thanks to all my reviewers! woo-hoo! read on! :-)  
  
Saxen nodded sharply and left with his Hogwarts robes flying after him, just like Snape's robes usually floated after him as he walked. Just like a great bat. Remea smiled sweetly at Hermione and said she would have a nice time, and tell her mother of Hermione's decision. Nicki remained behind, an mischievous grin dancing on his lips.   
  
"So, you're my mum, really?"  
  
"I suppose so, Niccolo." Hermione said as she followed the small Nicki to an elegant kitchen, which was decorated with deep emerald, deep crimson, and a slight undertone of silver. Nicki sat himself at a bar stool, kicking his legs and watching Hermione move about the kitchen, occasionally pointing out where things were. After a long while, Hermione had spaghetti boiling on the stove, and a pot of spaghetti sauce ready to go. She had sat down next to Nicki at the counter, and silently studied a few portraits, which were hung on the wall with care. One was of Snape and Hermione with the three children at the beach on a hot summer day. Nicki was kicking in Remea's sand castle, while Saxen and Snape both were reading thick potions tomes, and Hermione was grinning, wrapped in a towel and sipping a drink, spread out on a chaise longue, under an umbrella, between Snape and Saxen. Another was a winter day, of a snowball fight between the children. Saxen was shouting something, Remea was dumping snow into Niccolo's robes, and Niccolo was attempting to hex Saxen. Snowballs kept hitting the children from off of the edge of the photo. The last photograph was of Snape looking out a window, looking melancholy. The moonlight in the photo coursed into the window, hitting Snape at just the right angle, making him look like an dark fallen angel. It was a muggle photograph, unlike the others, which made it all the more unique. In the photo, Hermione could see a spark of the man that the older Hermione had fallen in love with.   
  
"Miss Granger?" Niccolo asked, snapping Hermione out of her thoughts. The boy had such a kicked-puppy dog look in his eyes, she couldn't help but smile sweetly at the boy.   
  
"Yes, Niccolo?"   
  
"You can call me Nicki." Nicki said after a long silence, and Hermione smiled. She made her way and fixed up plates for herself and Nicki, the two eating in silence until her older self showed up, with Remea and Saxen trailing behind her. "Mummy!" Niccolo shouted, grinning and hugging Hermione Snape tightly.   
  
"Niccolo Antares Snape, Did you shave Miss Norris's fur off?"  
  
"No. It was Peeves." Niccolo said quickly, a bit too quickly, perhaps.  
  
"Why do I not believe you this time? Go to your father's office, he is waiting for you." Hermione repiled quickly with a tight grimace on her lips.  
  
"Blast!" Nicki groaned, pouting and slowly walking out of the room with a sad sigh. Hermione raised her eyebrows at her older self, who sat on Nicki's stool and sighed as Remea and Saxen helped themselves to some spaghetti.   
  
"I suppose I should give you your timetable. I think this should be acceptable?" Older Hermione said as she handed Hermione a slip of parchment with a schedule written out in meticously neat handwriting. "I have given you some free time in the afternoons to work with me and my husband in an attempt to transport you back to your time. After all, we do need you back in your time." Older Hermione said with a small smile dancing on her lips.   
  
"Mum, that is so gross."  
  
"Stay out of my mind, Remea, how many times have I told you not to practice Occlumency or Leglicimency on myself or your father? You'll never know what you will stumble upon."  
  
"I believe you now." Remea said with an ashen expression, scraping off the rest of her food on Saxen's plate. "I swear I will never set foot in the library ever again.." the teenager mumbled as she scurried out of the kitchen and into her room, slamming the door for good measure. Older Hermione sighed and shook her head.   
  
"... my husband.."  
  
"I think it is all right if you call him Severus, I think I shall have to get used to it later on, apparently." Hermione said weakly as she feigned a smile. Her older self raised an eyebrow and sighed.   
  
"Very well. As I was saying, Severus and I think it is neccescary to devote as much time as it is possible into attempting to send you to your present day Hogwarts..." 


	7. Niccolo's Secret

Hermione took a deep breath as she slowly made her way to Snape's office, her older self had told her to meet the two there after breakfast, for a meeting upon the best way to send her back to her own time. Hermione was eager to go back, but also reluctant to leave her family; she had enjoyed spending some time with the Snape children, amazed that she and Snape could ever produce such children, let alone even fall in love in the first place. With a sigh, she frowned sharply as she heard a sobbing which seemed to be coming from a small child, perhaps Nicki, Hermione thought with dread as she ecountered the small boy of her thoughts curled up under the Staff Table, right under the spot Snape sat at during meals.   
  
"Niccolo, is that you?"  
  
"no, it's a Boggart." Nicki snapped, a thin frown on his pale face, his eyebrows drawn in a knit of annoyance. Hermione took a seat next to Nicki, smoothing down his dark hair and looking into his tear-streaked face, comforting the small boy. "I wish it was a boggart." Nicki whispered ever so quietly after a moment of silence.   
  
"What happened?" Hermione asked, as she smoothed down the hair into a ponytail, comforting the boy with her light touch. She felt Nicki's muscles tighten into knots under her hands, and the fragile body tremble. Ever so slowly, the small boy looked up into Hermione's eyes, and took off his wizarding robes.   
  
Dread filled Hermione to the core. She felt disgusted, and apalled at the sight of the red welts, white paper-thin scars, yellow, discolored bruises, and horrendous burns on the boy's torso and back. Nicki slowly moved away from Hermione, revealing a ragged tear in a dark-blue pair of jeans that was saturated with an dark substance that only could be blood. Hermione then noticed the sole of his left sneaker was nearly torn off. Nicki began coughing violently, sniffling in between coughs, tears and gasps of breath. Hermione was filled with an burning hatred, a wish to see the vile person who inflicted pain upon an innocent dead, cursed, and thrown into Azkaban, perhaps fed to Voldemort piece by piece, or used in one of Snape's horrid potions.... oh dear. Snape. That thought brought Hermione to the present. Hermione suddenly recalled her need to go meet with herself and Snape.   
  
"We should go to your father."  
  
"NO!" Nicki shouted forcefully, his eyes wide. "He can't be bothered with this. It doesn't matter, anyway." Nicki finished off in a weak whisper as he began coughing yet again, blood coming up in a loud cough, leaving a mess on the floor. Hermione gasped in horror, and knew in that moment, it did not matter what Nicki's wishes were, the boy had to go straight to Poppy.   
  
"Niccolo Antares Snape, what on earth am I going to do with you?" Hermione whispered as she scooped up the frail form of Nicki and rushed off to the hospital wing, forgetting about her potions lessons with her future self, intent on bringing Nicki to the hospital wing, saving his life, and hopefully bringing the culprit to justice. After all, she was the child's mother, or would be, in a period of quite a few years.   
  
Hermione was frantically rushing through corridors, up and down staircases, panting heavily under the awkard weight of the boy in her arms. Hermione had just barely reached the corridor that led to the Hospital wing when a dark form popped out from an hidden alcolve and blocked her way. Hermione gasped, she would know those green eyes anywhere, along with the famous scar. Her best friend, Harry Potter was at Hogwarts, and obviously intent on destroying her family for purposes unknown. Niccolo gagged weakly, turning his head and coughing up blood on Hermione's robes. Hermione barely took notice, her eyes burning into Harry's with an dark hatred. She had trusted this man with her life ever since she was eleven, and that was how he paid her loyalty, by harming her family?  
  
"Harry."  
  
"Hermione. See what loving that git brings you? nothing but pain and horror." Harry siad sharply with a hiss in his voice. His green eyes were now cold and sharp, the merry twinkle in them had disappeared, along with the warmth of his presence. Now, he only eminated an foul, bitter presence. "I am only trying to protect you from that git Snape. How can you forget how he was? forget what he did? How could you marry an Death Eater!"  
  
"Harry, move out of the way." Hermione said briskly, not wasting time, her son was dying, and the culprit was in her path. Hermione fumbled for her wand, her eyes widening and blood draining from her face when Harry grinned devilishly, holding up her wand.   
  
"Looking for this, my dear Mione?"  
  
"Harry...." Hermione sobbed out, her voice becoming weak. She had become stranded, with a dying boy in her arms and a crazed Harry Potter looming in front of her presence. Hermione prayed furiously that something, someone, anything would come to her rescue. Hermione's head began to pound in rhythym with her heart, her breathing becoming shallow. She couldn't feel her arms or legs, Nicki was weighing her down. She had to do something, but what could she do? Hermione was on the verge of collapsing, Nicki let out a small gasp, and a small moan as he began to convulse in spasms of pain. Hermione realized with horror that the boy was having a seizure of some sort...  
  
"HERMIONE!" a voice boomed out, startling Harry. Harry's head pivoted around to see where the voice had come from, and Hermione quickly recovered, taking the momentary distraction of Harry as a window of opportunity to dash by him, using an old method she had learned from years of playing Rugby with her muggle friends. She cradled Niccolo to her chest, summoning up a burst of andrealine as she lunged past Harry, knocking him into the wall as she dashed into the open door to the Infirmary, which had miraculously been opened during Harry's confrontal. Not bothering to wonder how the door had opened by itself or where the voice had come from, Hermione quickly summoned Poppy Pomfrey as she laid Niccolo out on the bed.   
  
"Is he going to be all right?"   
  
Poppy let out a quiet sigh, closing her eyes. 


	8. Miss Granger and Mrs Snape

Hermione collapsed outside the door in the hallway after her older self and Snape had left the hospital wing after their arrival five minutes later, relieved that Niccolo was still alive. Her eyes roamed along the hall, her eyes widening at the sight of Draco Malfoy holding his wand up at Harry, who was half-coscious and spewing nonscenscial threats against Snape. She was just relieved that Snape had been angry enough at her tardiness to go off in search of her and ecountering Harry in time to distract him, resulting into the rescue of Niccolo, and the off chance that Draco Malfoy, the Minister of Magic, had been in the vicinity with Snape and able to help with the capture of Harry.  
  
  
  
No words could be formed by Hermione Granger as she watched her older self eventually wear down and collapse against Snape's broad chest in quiet sobs. She watched Snape quietly whisper something in Hermione's ear, and herself reach up to nuzzle Snape, in need of comfort. In that moment, she knew deep in her heart the reason she fell in love with Severus Snape, the Potions-Master of Hogwarts. She watched herself kiss Snape, the two sharing tears that fell freely from their eyes, gripping each other in strong arms of love and comfort.   
  
  
  
Hermione couldn't tear her eyes away from the couple, she was amazed to see a bright glow eminating from the two, she had heard of such things, but never seen one. It was the glow of two souls joining. Apparently, she and Snape were destined to be soulmates. Deep in her heart, Hermione smiled, and now knew the exact meaning behind the words "know-it-all", and what those words meant every time Snape uttered them in her presence. Somehow, Snape had known the entire time and managed to uswe them as terms of endearment. Hermione's heart warmed at the memory of the moment he uttered, "I see no difference" when Malfoy had cursed her with rabbit teeth. She now understood the truth that those words held, and blushed at the immaturity of her actions afterward. She resolved that upon her return, she would inform Professor Snape, Severus, of her newfound knowledge.   
  
  
  
Hermione smiled as Snape looked up from his kiss, and winked directly at Hermione, as he put his arm around her older self's waist and his eyes glided over to Draco as the blond voiced his surprise at Hermione Granger's presence.  
  
"My god, Hermione.. is that you?" Draco asked, his mouth agape, his eyes blinking back tears. "Now I know everything of the story. Good luck, Hermione." Draco said with a whisper, a thin smile on his lips as he glanced at Hermione. She smiled weakly and sighed, leaning back against the wall. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Yes, just exhausted." Hermione said with a heavy sigh and a yawn, suddenly realizing how tired she was. "I suppose now I know why Snape's such a git in class."  
  
"Well, he's not always a git..." Hermione's older self giggled out, her eyes shiny with laughter as Snape scowled down at his petite wife.   
  
"What? I'm not a cuddly teddy bear, either." Snape snapped icily. Hermione Snape giggled, and Hermione Granger burst out in laughter, imagining Snape as a cuddly teddy bear, outfitted with black robes. "Oh, women." Snape scowled, shaking his head as Draco giggled, rolling his eyes. "Draco, you should really give me a few words of advice." Hermione frowned, and Draco shook his head.  
  
"Four daughters." Draco replied with a smile. Hermione's eyes widened and she smiled, it was hard to imagine Draco Malfoy the father of four girls and the Minister of Magic, but the truth was staring her in the face.   
  
No one was prepared for what happened next. Harry's head snapped up all of a sudden, throwing Draco off-guard. Draco had been holding Hermione's wand, and had loosened his grip enough for Harry to snatch it out of the blond's palm, and to throw one final curse at Hermione. As Harry spoke the incantation, Draco threw an countercurse, as well as the Snapes. Hermione screamed soundlessly as four diffrent curses and countercurses were thrown at her and Harry. Hermione was evenloped in a flash of purple light, and Harry was veiled with a blue sheen of light. She felt herself grow heavier and heavier, the room began spinning, and she could hear herself.. or was that her older self? scream "Severus!", and a loud explosion, as she felt herself fall, but she didn't feel any contact against the floor, she merely felt herself fall through the floor, letting go of herself, too tired to hold back... 


	9. Points to Slytherin

A/N: thanks to all my reviewers who have been terriffic putting up with me. Almost done!  
  
Hermione felt so heavy. She couldn't move any limbs, much less even lift her eyelids. She heard footsteps quickly move towards her location. It was too heavy to be her own or Severus's, she hoped with all her heart that it was Draco's footsteps she was hearing. She slowly opened her eyes, and her chocolate brown eyes met Harry's emerald-green eyes....  
  
  
  
"SEVERUS!" Hermione screamed with all her might. Harry hadn't been defeated, he had killed Severus and Draco and herself, Hermione screamed as tears fell down her cheeks. Her screams brought around a crowd, in which Severus, Professor McGonagall, and Hagrid were among. Professor McGonagall and Severus both gave Harry a dark glare as Hagrid slowly and gently drew Hermione's nearly limp body into his arms. Hermione slowly closed her eyes, allowing the tears to flow for her children, the terror ever so slowly making its way out of her body.   
  
After Hermione had been treated by Poppy Pomfrey with a confection of treatments, Professor McGonagall, Dumbledore, and Severus had stood by Hermione's bedside, in demand of an explaination as to where she had disappeared to the past few hours.  
  
  
  
"Hours?! I thought it was days." Hermione muttered to herself, recalling the time she had spent with the Snapes and herself down in the dungeon, her eyes drawn to the dark Potions-Master's guarded expression. With a sigh, she began her explaination that Saxen had inadvertently drawn her into his own time, and she had returned back, omitting a few details for the sake of the others in the room.   
  
"Are you telling me Harry Potter..." McGonagall trailed off, her eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. No one had wanted to believe the potential of that certain situation popping up in the future.   
  
"Now, Minerva, we cannot allow ourselves to alter our time line with the discovery of this new information." Albus Dumbledore said with a small frown tugging at the ends of his mouth. "As much as I regret allowing these horrendous events to occur, they must."  
  
"I understand, Headmaster, but isn't there anything you can do?" Hermione asked with an note of anxiety in her voice. She wanted to save her best friend, but at the same time, she did not want to lose the potential of a wonderful life with Severus.   
  
"No. Not at all, I'm afraid."   
  
"I see." Hermione said in a near-mute whisper as McGonagall slowly sank down on a cot, and Severus stood still at the foot of her bed, studying her with a calculcating stare, and then turned to Dumbledore.   
  
"I suppose the little know it all can come up with an answer?"   
  
At the cold remark of her future husband, Hermione actually laughed, drawing a shocked stare from McGonagall, a chuckle from Dumbledore, and a slow eyebrow raise from Severus. "What is so amusing, Miss Granger? Do enlighten us all."  
  
"I think we had better take our leave, Minerva. Miss Granger, Severus, do use the information you hold wisely." Dumbledore said with a sharp nod as he took McGonagall by the elbow and escorted her out of the hospital wing.   
  
  
  
Hermione slowly realized that Dumbledore was giving her permission to tell Severus everything, he did need to know everything, since he was to be her husband. She signaled for Snape to have a seat, and conjured up a cup of tea made just the way he liked it with a slab of Ghirardelli chcolate on the side. The small gesture earned her an intrested glance from him, she knew he hadn't informed her of his preferences on food.   
  
"I feel that you should know that our son was born in Janurary of 2004, a mere nine months later, during the final battle against You Know Who."  
  
"I see." He then bit into the chocolate thoughtfully, chewing slowly. "Has my future counterpart informed you of my decision?"  
  
"...somehow. In a way." Hermione said after a slow pause. His fingers tapped the teacup absently, as he narrowed his eyes in thought. Hermione could see the wheels turning into his head. She knew he wasn't dumb, and he was thinking over every single item that he faced in this certin situation. Her heart pounded as she watched him set down his teacup gracefully and slowly cross his arms across his broad chest.   
  
"Miss Granger, I've come to a decision. Since you have turned seventeen earlier this year, and are due to graduate this month I cannot stand in the way in any decisions you make ." Snape said with an almost disintrested air. "..after graduation." Snape added strongly, with an arch of his eyebrow. "I do think that your vistors have been waiting long enough, and I do have points to give a certain Slytherin." Snape said with a sharp incline to indicate Ginny, Neville, Ron, and Harry standing near the doorway, Harry glaring at Snape.   
  
Hermione was shocked, she knew Snape would eventually come to that decision, but was surprised at the fact that he had put it ever so eloquently and gracefully without pouncing from his seat and murdering Harry on the spot at his arrival with Ron, Neville and Ginny.   
  
"Professor Snape?....." Hermione suddenly asked, stopping Snape in his tracks. Snape merely turned his head in Hermione's direction. Her breath caught in her throat, he seemed so handsome at that moment in time. She quickly shook that thought, it wasn't for this time, she had other matters to attend to. "Make it a hundred points to Slytherin." Snape quirked his eyebrow and nodded sharply as he continued his way out of the hospital wing, momentarily brushing against Harry with a murderous glint in his eyes directed at the Gryffindor student.  
  
"Hermione! what happened?" Harry, Ron, Ginny and Neville all asked at once. Hermione held up her hands, and drew in a breath, preparing herself for yet another explaination, slightly altered from the bald and exact verison she had given Snape. 


	10. Harry's Beginning

After Hermione had given her story to Neville, Ron, Harry, and Ginny, she sank back on her pillows and studied her friends with a new perspective, the perspective from the knowledge of what would happen in the future.   
  
Ginny would marry Harry, and the two would have a son, that much Hermione knew, but why or how could Harry carry such a grudge against Snape for so long? Hermione wondered as she inclined her head towards Ginny, studying the petite redhead with a sharp eye.   
  
"You're scaring me Hermione, you're starting to look at me like Snape does." Neville said as his voice trembled, and he began fingering her blankets nervously. Hermione snapped her head up, smiling a weak smile at the young man.   
  
"Sorry, Neville, I was just.. thinking." Hermione said, watching Neville with a smile on her lips. She had heard Saxen mention a Longbottom and a Weasley among his list of torturers. She wondered what could bring sweet men like Neville and one of the Weasleys to have such children, torturing a intelligent young man like Saxen?  
  
"Hermione.. I was just curious, why were you screaming for Snape, back in the corridors? he didn't do anything to you, did he?" Hary asked, his eyes glinting dangerously. Hermione shuddered, they were an early preview of his older self's mad glint. "I will geld the git if he ever lays a hand on you."  
  
"Sev... Professor Snape happened to be in the vicinity and helped me to the hospital wing with Hagrid, he was merely the first person I saw." Hermione said with a bossy uplift of her chin. "Now, I do need to be left alone, I have lessons to catch up on to."  
  
"Hermione, you've done ALL the work already!" Ginny said with a sigh. "I've seen your papers, they're dated clear up to the last day of studies!"  
  
"I do have extra credit to do for Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, and Se, Snape." Hermione said, nearly stumbling upon Severus's name. She mutely wondered when he had become Severus to her, she probably had been hanging around with her older self too much and had gotten used to the idea of having Severus around. After she had given her excuse, Neville and Ginny left, leaving her with Ron and Harry.   
  
"I'll see you later, then." Harry said slowly with a careful last look at Hermione as he left with Ron at his side. Hermione let out a slow sigh, but her spirits dampened slightly at the appearance of Draco Malfoy in the hospital wing. He didn't seem to be in need of anything, so what was he doing in here?  
  
"Granger, what compelled you to have Snape award me a hundred points to Slytherin?" the pale young man drawled out, his eyebrows knitted in a puzzled glance directed at Hermione. Hermione sighed, and smiled.   
  
"Your future self helped save my life, so I guess I thought you did deserve a early reward." Hermione said briefly as she studied the diffrences between younger Draco and older Draco. He still had to grow a few more inches, grow out his hair three more inches, and the scar along the side of his temple hadn't been inflicted yet. The two students studied each other for a long moment before Draco turned on his heel and abruptly left, leaving Hermione alone with her thoughts. 


	11. Severus's Question

"GRANGER, HERMIONE!" Headmaster Dumbledore announced, as Hermione stepped up on the platform to recieve her diploma of graduation from Hogwarts. A bright sunny smile later, she went on to shake hands with each and every one of her professors. At the end stood a staid, stiff Severus Snape. Hermione smiled softly at him as she shook his hand, tears filling her eyes. She had no clue as to what to do after this night, she didn't want to leave hogwarts, and most of all, Severus.  
  
"Severus.." Hermione breathed out in the barest of whispers. A corner of Snape's mouth lifted as he gave a sharp nod, indicating Draco at Hermione's side. Hermione regretfully moved aside to make room for Draco, slowly walking down the steps and into her classmates' open arms and congratulations. Somehow, graduating didn't seem all that great, not from what she would expect in a few short months.   
  
  
  
"Miss Granger?" Severus called out right before Hermione left the Great Hall. Hermione paused, turning to face Severus. The dark man crossed the remaining space between them in only two long strides, coming face-to-face with her, sending shivers down her spine. He studied her for a moment and then raised his eyebrows. "You do know I am no prince charming?"  
  
At that, Hermione laughed out loud, and shook her head.   
  
"I knew that from day one, Severus."  
  
"You really are not against sharing your bed with greasy-haired and hook-nosed ex-deatheaters?" Snape asked lightly as he took Hermione's chin in his hand, ever so lightly frowning.   
  
"Severus, I am against sharing my bed with any man except my husband."  
  
"I see." Snape said as he let go of Hermione and swept past her in a brush of black, leaving her speechless near the doorway of the Great Hall. She wondered what was going on in that man's mind, as she watched Harry and Ginny dance their way to her. She smiled and made meaningless small talk with Ginny while Harry studied her with a strange look on his face.   
  
"What were you and Snape talking about? you seemed quite bothered."  
  
"...Nothing of importance, that's all, only future plans." Hermione answered half-truthfully, wishing someone would come and rescue her from Harry's tireless interrogations. Thankfully, someone did come to rescue her, unfortunatley, it was Draco Malfoy.   
  
"Granger, dance with me." Draco said stiffly as he held an hand out. Hermione studied him for a moment, and chose to throw caution to the wind. After all, he did save her from harry's clutches in the future. The gentleman couldn't be all that bad. As the two brushed past Harry, Hermione felt a icy stare penetrate her back from Harry's direction. She did the best she could to ignore her fears and dance with Draco, focusing her mind on their conversation. "Granger, Whatever poesessed me to save you?"  
  
"You have a heart, Draco, you just don't use it that much." Hermione said with a small smile. "Like someone I know."  
  
"Professor Snape, you mean? I noticed how you two look at each other." Draco said lightly, as the two whirled around the dance floor. "I suppose part of it has to do with the points he gave me?"  
  
"Partially. You helped him save my life, and in a way, he is indebted to you."  
  
"Awesome." Draco said with a laugh as he dipped Hermione, and the two came up face-to-face with Snape, who gracefully cut in with a smile from Draco. Hermione tried her best to contain her pounding heart as she molded herself to Severus, the two moving slowly adn gracefully to the music, gathering quite a few stares along the way. The couple danced for a good solid hour in a comfortable silence, until a small silky whisper from Severus found it's way to Hermione's ear. 


	12. An Answer

"...Marry me, Hermione." Snape whispered in the silkiest whisper that set Hermione's inner organs on fire. She looked up to study the dark eyes of her Potions-Master, she could see the wheels turning in his head, the cunning intelligence shining in his eyes. Hermione cocked her head, and arched her eyebrow gracefully.  
  
"You didn't even need to ask, Severus."  
  
"Just checking." Snape whispered almost shyly as he held Hermione close to him, and the two enjoyed a new level of intimacy as a nearly-wed couple.   
  
"Let's get married right now, tonight." Hermione whispered into Severus's ear, the breath tickling his ear. Seveerus studied Hermione for a long moment. Hermione leaned back, seeing Snape nod after a long moment. She smiled and kissed him right in the middle of the great hall, her eyes sparkling at the moment she caught Severus off-guard with the kiss. She knew he would be furious with her, but she had wanted to seize the moment.  
  
  
  
"Do you see what I see?!" Harry growled at Ginny, who was staring at the unconventional couple share a tender kiss in the middle of the dance floor. Ginny smiled and said yes, she saw what Harry saw, that Hermione and Professor Snape were in love. Harry scowled deeply and watched the two glide over to Dumbledore and McGonagall, whispering something to Dumbledore and McGonagall, making her gasp. A few minutes later, the four of them left the Great Hall. Ever so curious, Harry watched them leave the Great Hall, and followed.   
  
  
  
Draco Malfoy looked up from his dance with Pansy to see his Head of House kissing the school Know-it-All. Now, he realized why Snape had awarded him the hundred points. He had saved her life for him, and Draco smiled, feeling a warm feeling spread to his toes. He decided he liked the feeling of being their protector. He then noticed Potter giving the couple a dark look and taking off after them towards somewhere in the castle. Draco knew something was going on, and be damned if he would let Potter ruin the one chance of happiness that Professor Snape had achieved. Draco had known Snape his entire life, and never had seen him care for someone so deeply. With a steely resolve and wand set, Draco hurried off to follow Harry, with a stubborn Ginny following him in the darkness.   
  
  
  
Each person had no hints the other was being followed. The odd troupe made their way down to Severus's rooms to wed him to Hermione. Dumbledore stood near the tapestry that led to Severus's rooms, a painting of two wolves howling at the moon, with a raven sitting on a fence post. The raven ruffled its feathers and squawked at Snape's commanding password to his rooms.  
  
Draco slipped by, careful not to allow anyone to feel his presence, he knew Ginny was tailing him, the silly girl, and turned to meet her eyes with a silent finger pressed to his lips. Ginny's eyes widened and she nodded ever so silently, making her way to Draco's side, the two watching the intresting event that befell the unconventional pair.  
  
  
  
Much to Severus's surprise, he noticed young Malfoy, Draco, tailing him and his soon to be wife. The edges of his mouth curved, and he leaned in to whisper to Hermione of their unexpected guest. Severus chuckled to himself, he had not planned on his wedding being a spectacle, not with so many guests, Snape thought as he turned to Dumbledore and McGonagall, holding Hermione's hands into his.   
  
The couple shared a glance and then stood at attention as Dumbledore married the two quickly and without any ceremony, he knew Severus and Hermione were the kind of people not to dwell on any frivolities. After all, there was a war on.   
  
  
  
Draco Malfoy kept his eyes glued on the form of Harry Potter, not liking the feeling he was getting in the pit of his stomach. He held back a gasp as Harry swept by him in a hurry, not wanting to see Severus and Hermione wed. Draco quickly held Ginny back, shushing her with a hand over her mouth, and then letting her go after Harry had been gone for a few long moments. Draco then followed Ginny, knowing lfe would not be the same after this moment. His fater had informed his desire for him to parcipicate in a Death Eater Attack soon, and he had to warn Professor Snape, but that could wait until morning, the professor did deserve a night of happiness in his wife's arms.  
  
A/N: I thank all my reviewers and the suggestions! Sorry about the cliffies.. I get writer's block often. Any suggestions would help!! thanks! 


	13. the unexpected guests

Severus felt an icy stab of fear overtake him. Something would happen, and soon. The timing couldn't be all too perfect, Snape sighed wryly as he glanced down at his beautiful young bride at his side. Hermione was fast asleep, Severus was mildly surprised at the tolerancy for alcohol she had, she had only drank two glasses of wine, and fell right to sleep after attempting to kiss him.   
  
  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, come right in." Snape said after he had set Hermione in their bed, and dressed in his teaching robes. A paler than usual Draco found his way in the warm living quarters and sat right down on the leather couch, keeping his eyes on Severus.   
  
"My father has expressed his wishes for me to join a meeting of his soon."  
  
"How soon?" Severus asked, panic rising in his chest. He had only recently became wed, he didn't want to have any troubles until, say, after his death of old age?  
  
  
  
"He didn't mention. Although, he feels that the meeting will be a turning point in the wizarding community, he has been planning on it for months."  
  
"I see." Severus sighed, pouring himself a rather generous portion of firewhiskey and downing it in a quick swallow. He then turned to Draco, studying the boy. Only seventeen years old, and already facing death. What has this world come to, the older wizard thought morosely as he took a seat next to the youth, and steepled his long, pale fingers as he threw himself deep in thought. "I shall need to contact some... accquaintances of mine to discuss the situation." He spoke after a long pause. Severus flinched slightly as Draco smiled and thanked him, shaking his hand warmly. Watching the boy leave, Severus then threw a powder in the fireplace, calling to Albus Dumbledore regarding the situation.   
  
  
  
Albus Dumbledore, the old conniving goat, had arranged for the werewolf to assist him in the situation. Why did it have to turn to this? he could have done fine by himself, he had been doing it alone for the past nineteen years, why now? Severus fumed as he sat stiffly in his armchair, awaiting a word from Remus J. Lupin. After a long while, the fireplace glowed green, announcing the immenient arrival of Lupin.   
  
Snape took a step back to prevent his robes from becoming infused with dust as Lupin and a companion stumbled to the ground, covered with floo powder, their thump waking up Hermione in the other room. Snape scowled, could they even be a bit more louder, and wake the squid in the lake, perhaps?  
  
  
  
"Severus, what is Miss Granger doing here?" Lupin asked as he dusted himself off and studied Hermione with a cautious eye.   
  
"That is Lady Snape to you, Professor Lupin." Hermione said with a small smile on her lips as she moved to Snape's side. "Who...?" Hermione began to ask, and was cut off by a small gasp of surprise. The man accompanying Lupin was an identical match to Severus, the only diffrence between the two being that Severus had his hair loose, and the man had his put back neatly with a neat Vandyke beard to match.   
  
"Senas." Severus said quietly, his eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Naturally, helping out Remy and my brother, what do you expect?" Senas said sharply as he took a seat in Snape's armchair, flicking his wand and accio-ing a pot of tea. Lupin quietly shook his head and shrugged when Hermione shot him an inquiring glance. "I think I should start from the beginning, of what we are expected to do..."  
  
A/N: Alright, this chapter is kind of odd, but excuse the oddity, I thought why not pair Remus with Snape's twin brother? If this sort of thing bothers you, don't worry, their relationship is only mentioned or implied. 


	14. An intriguing plan

"I've been in touch with Lucky, pardon me, Lucius, and .."  
  
"You cannot just stride in here and take over!" Severus finally exploded, shooting an icy glare at Senas, who had been pouring himself a cup of tea. Senas flinched, spilling a few drops of tea on a rug.   
  
"Severus, look at what you made me do.." Senas chided lightly, cleaning the mess with a flick of his wand. "Look, Severus. Do you need help taking down the slimy worm git Voldemort, or do you want to go ahead and flush yourself down the toilet?" Senas said sharply, in between sips of his tea. Lupin stood frozen to the spot, his amber eyes gliding from one Snape to the other, bracing himself for a full-blown arguement.   
  
  
  
"Senas..." Severus ground out, pinching the bridge of his nose lightly and pursing his lips tightly. "Of course I could use every intelligent mind in the role of..."  
  
"Then why are we wasting time arguing? Get your arse over here, Sevy, and listen to what I have to say." Senas said as he cocked his head to the other armchair. Lupin and Hermione sat on a small loveseat, watching Senas explain what was expected to happen. Remus watched Senas's slim hands waver animatedly from one point to another, fully drawing each person into the rhythym of his words.   
  
"Do you think that will work?" Hermione asked, looking up to Severus with an wide-eyed glance. "I have never heard of that being done before."  
  
"It has happened before, I know it will work. Are you doubing me already?" Senas said sharply as he glanced at Hermione in a familiar glance. Severus crossed his legs awkardly and picked up a cup of tea in silence, thinking over what his brother had laid out. He had recruited the aid of young William Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Albus Dumbledore, Remus Lupin, and young Draco Malfoy, along with himself and Hermione. The small group was to go to Malfoy Manor right under his nose under the ruse of a masquerade party on New Year's Eve, a celebration of a new era, Lucius had mysteriously called it. Lucius had also informed Senas that he planned upon Voldemort's presence at the masquerade, providing the Order of the Phoenix a perfect window of opportunity, provided they had the right people to pull it off. Severus wondered if he dared to hope, hope that his fool of a brother had such a crazy plan that it sounded plausible?  
  
"What does Albus say about this?" Severus said after a long silence, looking right at Senas. Senas's eyes twinkled, giving him a youthful look.   
  
"He was the one who cooked it up, he said he loved a good masquerade party." Remus said from his perch on the couch. Snape and Senas both turned to glance in Remus's direction, earning a small smile from Hermione, she had never realized how comical the situation could be until now.   
  
"We'll talk more in the morning. I'm tired." Senas said abruptly as he rose from his seat and stretched, his vertebrae cracking in several places. "Come on, Remy." Senas said, taking Remus by the arm and heading off into Snape's adjacent office.  
  
  
  
"Hermione?" Severus said quietly after Senas and Remus had left the room and he was finally alone with Hermione, and he had a chance to talk.   
  
"Severus?" Hermione answered, turning to face Severus, her eyes twinkling. "This is all so exciting, we're going off to make plans for this wonderful new era without fear, without death... what a world it is going to be, Severus." Severus took his idealistic young wife in his arms and sighed, enjoying the closeness and warmth. After a while, he looked down into Hermione's eyes which were darkened with a slightly feral glow in them. He knew that look, he had seen that look before somewhere, once upon a long time ago.   
  
"Hermione." Severus breathed out, his voice growing heavy. Hermione smiled up at him, kissing him lightly on his mouth. He savored the sweet taste of her, but then frowned sharply as she left his embrace. "What?"  
  
"Oh, I just thought you would be more comfortable somewhere else."   
  
"I see." Severus said, following Hermione into their bedroom, taking her into his arms as he closed the door with his foot, and held her close. The two took a slow pleasure into caressing off thier clothes, and slipping into their large four-poster bed. The two spent the rest of the night making love, taking as much time as they could.   
  
As the night drew to a close, Hermione snuggled into the embrace of her dark-haired lover and held his arms around her abodmen, slowly drifting off into a comfortable, languid sleep, her arms twined around Severus's.  
  
A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers, I'm trying to keep Senas from becoming a male mary-sue.. I hate those. Anyway, the story is almost done, and I'm trying to put in more SS/HG stuff, but I need ideas!!! help? :-) 


	15. Unwelcome surprises

"Good morning." Hermione murmrued, stretching over to kiss Severus good morning. The two spent a leisurely few minutes waking each other up with soft kisses. Fully alert, Severus then slid off to the bathroom, only to find it occupied. Sighing, he tightened the cord of his dressing gown and padded off back to the bedroom, but frowned, Lupin had wormed his way into the bedroom and was talking to a fully-dressed Hermione. Severus thinned his mouth in a sharp grimace as he headed off to the now empty bathroom to freshen up. Upon his exit from the bathroom, he was greeted by the most unwelcome sight of Senas and Remus flirting madly with each other on his couch. Snape stood there for a moment, not believing his own eyes. He had his own suspicions when he was a lad, but did not want to see it in his own home. Severus's lips twisted in horror as Lupin slowly lowered his head toward Senas's, and his hand drifted lower... Snape shuddered, he absolutely had to stop it before it went any further, especially in his own home.  
  
"Lupin!" Snape hissed icily, as Senas and Remus both yelped, jumping up from their cozy perch in the corner of the couch, their faces a matching shade of crimson.  
  
"Severus." Senas whispered, a small smirk playing at the edges of his lips as Hermione entered the living room with a tray full of blueberry muffins and a pot of tea. The three men ate their breakfast in silence, all agreeing that events of a few minutes ago were not to be discussed again. Ever.  
  
  
  
After a silent breakfast, the small group then hurried off to 12 Grimmauld Place to bring to light Senas's intriguing Masquerade Ball at the Malfoy Manor with the members of the Order of the Phoenix. Their enterance into the kitchen found Molly and Bill Weasley seated at the table, drinking cups of hot chocolate.  
  
"Severus?" Molly asked, eyeing Senas with openmouthed intrest and surprise, while Bill merely rose from his seat to rinse out his mug of hot chocolate. "Who is this?" She asked as Senas smiled a thin smile, remaining at Remus's side in silence. A long silence stretched on, and finally Remus introduced Senas to Molly with a sigh.   
  
"Molly, this is Senas Snape, Severus's brother."  
  
"Charmed." Senas drawled with a sharp arch of his eyebrow, mimicking Severus as he kissed Molly's hand in a fashion not seen for a hundred years. Molly blushed and smiled shyly as Bill returned to her side, his lids lowered in an assessing fashion, looking over Senas with intrest, his eyes then shifting to Remus, a sparkle of recgonization dawning in his eyes. Bill smiled slyly as he took a seat near Senas and Remus, awaiting the arrival of the rest of the Order.  
  
  
  
"Hermione, what are you doing here?" A voice called out, sending shivers of fear down Hermione's spine. She hadn't counted on Harry's presence at 12 Grimmauld. She put a light restraint on Severus's arm, having noticed the set of his mouth and the malice glittering in his eyes. Hermione slowly turned to face Harry, trying to have a firm grip on her thoughts and heart, which was pounding right through her chest.  
  
"Hi, Harry.. I'm just here on Order buisness." Hermione said boldly, remembering to smile, not wanting to set off Harry at all. Hermione then went up to Harry, giving him a small hug in greeting, smiling as Ron and Ginny arrived with Arthur Weasley. Arthur then announced that the meeting would start, and Molly ordered Harry, Ron and Ginny to stay in the kitchen while a meeting would be held in the meeting room near the kitchen. Hermione paled as Harry watched her head into the meeting room, with betrayal sparkling hotly in his eyes. She hated the fact that she knew that he would bring despair into her house through her children, but what could she do? She couldn't change the way time moved, much less even deprive herself and Severus the life they had worked so hard for all these years.   
  
  
  
Harry Potter was livid. How could Hermione be admitted to an Order meeting, and not him? Harry groaned and brought his mind back to the game of Exploding Snap with Ron, but his heart wasn't in it. He absolutely had to find out what was going on with Hermione. Ever since that boy had left, she had been acting very strangely. Harry suddenly announced he was going to the bathroom, and headed down to the first-floor bathroom, which happened to be right near the meeting room. Harry puleld out a set of Extendable Ears he had managed to nick from the twins, and sat down on the toilet, listening for anything, anything at all.   
  
  
  
"Severus, you do have the invitations?" Albus asked, his mouth set in a harsh line. Severus nodded, procuring several invitations to the Malfoy's New Year Masquerade at Malfoy Manor.  
  
"It was wise of you to mention a visit from your family, gaining enough passes for myself and the others." Senas said with a smile. "At times at this, I am proud to call you brother."  
  
"Sod off, Senas." Snape snapped, as he threw down the invitations on a table, his black eyes glittering.   
  
"I love you too, Sevy." Senas whispered, his eyebrows high on his forehead, as Bill and Lupin tried not to laugh. Snape threw a harsh look of death at young Weasley and the werewolf, shutting them up efficiently."What about Hermione? we just can't leave her out like this."  
  
"She is coming as my wife, naturally." Snape said, a small twitch of his lips adding a faintly humorous undertone to the statement.   
  
  
  
Harry gaped, not believing the exchange he had heard between Snape, Dumbledore and that git who was going as Snape's brother. How dare they drag Hermione into this? It should be him, not Hermione. She couldn't face Voldemort and survive. Harry frowned as the meeting was adjourned a few moments later, after a long discussion about the masquerade, and who was going to recieve whose invitation. Dumbledore was attending as Lord Snape Senior, Snape and Senas's father who had been in isolation in France until recently. Snape, Senas and Hermione were attending as themselves, Malfoy was attending as himself, and Lupin, Bill, and Neville were in disguise as Senas's wife and two sons. To Harry, it sounded flawless, but he still was wondering, why didn't they want him to parcipicate, and they had gotten a new member with more privileges than himself. He heard people leaving, and decided to leave the bathroom so he could glean some more information. He was just passing the meeting room when he saw two figures inside the dark room, and was intensely curious.   
  
He slowly stepped inside, and strained his eyes to discern who the two people were, and listened to the soft voices. His features snapped in a mask of rage, how dare those two plot against him..... 


	16. Severus's Last Wish

Hermione and Draco Malfoy were alone in the meeting room, discussing the situation with Harry, voicing their concerns of the future.   
  
"You really are serious about this, Granger?" Draco drawled, his eyes wide after he heard the tale about Harry's insane behavior, having been told part of the tale earlier by Albus Dumbledore on the way to 12 Grimmauld and the rest during the meeting by Severus and Hermione during a break.   
  
"I am, Draco. I want you to be Saxen's godfather. You're the only one I can trust other than Severus." Hermione whispered, holding her chin high. "Harry Potter isn't fit to be in the same room as Sev, not after what he has done."  
  
"but why?" Draco asked, crossing his arms across his mature chest and cocking his head to the side slightly. "I thought you and the weasel worshipped him."  
  
"I did admire him, Malfoy." Hermione said, turning sharpish as she frowned and narrowed her eyes. "He betrayed my trust, and now I have to endure..." Hermione trailed off, biting her lip in thought.   
  
  
  
Harry bristled, angry at the fact that Hermione was conspiring with Malfoy against him, calling him not worthy of being near the git Snape. Harry's eyes widened with the stroke of genius which hit him. Snape must have put a spell upon Hermione, or slipped something in her drink. He recalled months ago, she had passed out and Snape was there with her in the hospital wing, and her long disappeareance must have had something to do with Snape, along with that demented marriage. Harry then turned away from the doorway, his brain bursting with anger as he ran down the hallway, and turning to enter the kitchen, but stopping short of bursting into the kitchen. He saw Remus Lupin smiling and embracing Snape, Snape's back to him. Harry bit his fist to keep from gagging, how sick could Snape be to use Hermione, use Remus, and what would be next, him turning against Dumbledore? Perhaps he had already done that, Harry thought as he tore his eyes away from the spectacle and headed upstairs to return to his game of Exploding Snap with Ron and Ginny.   
  
  
  
As the time passed, Hermione began to show signs of fatigue and sickness, in which displayed the success of Saxen. In nine months' time, Saxen would be born. Severus and Hermione both shared a small fear, the fear of their son being born into an era of violence and fear at the hands of Voldemort's nemesis, Harry Potter. Severus became uneasy with each day that passed, as Hermione's womb grew heavy with their child.  
  
Upon the imminent event of the Masquerade ball at Palais de Mal Foi, Hermione had been complaining of back pain. The couple knew that their son's birth was upcoming, but the two prayed that Saxen would have the good sense to remain inside Hermione's womb until after the danger was past, at least, if the boy was anything at all like his father in other than the looks department, as Severus had asessed from the visit months ago, which had seemed like eons.  
  
"Hermione?" Severus asked one evening, while the two were basking in the afterglow of a gentle lovemaking session, their bodies twined together among the sheets. Hermione glaneced up to meet her husband's eyes with a sparkle in her eye.   
  
"Yes, Severus?"  
  
"Promise me you will stay safe at the Masquerade."  
  
"I promise, Severus." Hermione said with a small smile on her lips, recalling what would be in the future. She was ever so eager to reach that wonderful place, with her husband and forthcoming two children.  
  
"If anything happens to me, go to Senas and Remus. They're odd, but they'll keep you safe." Severus said, turning on his side to glance at Hermione, their eyes locking. Hermione could hear a small indenation of desperation in his voice, and a glint of fear in his eyes. "I know Lucius and You Know Who won't go easy on me at the Masquerade... I fear for our child, Hermione." Severus said, quite out of character, bringing Hermione to the brink of tears.   
  
"Severus, don't be like that! I know for a fact you will survive, so don't be so maudlin." Hermione said with a frown and a small crease between her eyebrows. Severus then smiled lightly, gently kissing the crease in between her eyebrows with care and adoration.   
  
"Hermione, my Hermione." Severus whispered gently, taking his wife into his arms and splaying his hands wide on the sides of her belly, feeling Saxen move towards his touch.   
  
"It seems he already knows his father." Hermione whispered proudly as she put her hands upon Severus's, the two sharing a quiet and private moment with their unborn child, not wanting the idyllic peace to come to an end.   
  
  
  
It did come to an end with Severus falling asleep, cradling Hermione in his arms, a hand curved protectively along her belly. Unknown to the couple, a smiling old man was looking in on them through a magical looking-glass, shaking his head and holding up an calendar, trying to decide on a pair of Gryffindor red or Slytherin green socks for an upcoming birthday.  
  
A/N: thanks to all my reviewers, I love you! Any more feedback or ideas would be greatly appreciated, as this tale is slowly coming to an end. Let me know if you would like an sequel, I'm thinking about doing that. Granted, this isn't a Fire & the Rose, but hey, I did put in the effort... *smile* 


	17. The party has begun

For Severus Snape, morning brought along unpleasant greetings. He found a twinkling Dumbledore seated in his sitting room, the passes to the Masquerade lying neatly on a side table, next to the small huddle consisting of most of the Order of the Phoenix members. They happened to be fussing around Neville Longbottom, Bill Weasley, and Remus Lupin. Severus held back a guffaw; Remus was outfitted in an elegant ballroom gown of deep cereulean, a nice contrast to his amber eyes and dark hair.  
  
Surprise overtook Severus as he felt a set of slim arms embrace him from behind, a large pregnant belly poking his behind. He turned slightly to face Hermione, her hair in disarray, her face rosy and beaming.   
  
"I have a feeling today will be a long day, Severus." Hermione whispered as she watched the proceedings with a smile on her lips.   
  
"Indeed, Hermione. Lupin looks .. intresting.. in that gown."  
  
"Hush, you." Hermione giggled, burying her face in Snape's back and holding back her own giggles.   
  
"Laugh it up, Severus, why don't you?" Lupin scowled uncharacterstically as he stepped away from a grinning Bill Weasley and a snickering Senas. Neville stood there, eyeing Severus Snape with a wary eye, still not used to the idea of being part of such an elaborate plan and in such close vicinity to the Potions Master.   
  
As the event of the Masquerade drew closer, each person became more jittery, wandering around Snape's rooms in their various glamouries and costumes, getting used to their new apperances, slowly. For once, Senas and Lupin weren't staring heatedly at each other, Lupin sitting in a chair, trying to figure out the proper way to remain seated without revealing his underwear to the world and Senas downing his fourth firewhiskey and singing an nonsensical song in French. After a long while, Dumbledore finally got sick of Senas's songs and removed the firewhiskey and gave him a soberity Potion, which Severus more than willingly brewed up.   
  
  
  
HARRY POTTER had gotten wind of the small group's plans to enter the masquerade, from listening to Bill and Molly arguing in the kitchen earlier that morning, and had listened to Bill floo himself over to Snape's. From his hiding posistion at the top of the stairs, Harry slowly slunk downstairs and eyed a weary Molly Weasley sitting and drinking a cup of tea, gazing at the clock, where Bill's image was under "Travel" and moving towards "WORK".   
  
"Harry, dear, how are you?" Molly asked after a moment, finally noticing Harry. "Why don't I ..."  
  
"Mrs. Weasley, I'm not feeling all too well, I think I'll go take a nap." Harry lied, thinking of the crowd assembling at Snape's. He really did want to make it in time, he would not be left out, not this time. Harry strode out of the kitchen and headed towards a fireplace in the study, pinching some floo powder and praying he would not end up in the wrong place as he did before. With a shout of "Snape's Rooms", Harry disappeared into the fireplace, not noticing a bewildered Ginny Weasley standing at the door, her mouth agape.   
  
  
  
"Severus, I think I shall put in an appearance at the Masquerade early, your father was notorious for his punctuality." Dumbledore Snape said, his black eyes glittering and adjusting his spectacles at a grey-streaked temple. "How your father does this, I don't know." Dumbledore said with a small frown as he adjusted a cravat and picked up a cane similar to Lucius Malfoy's.   
  
"You look... like Sebastian, I guess." Senas said as he spoke of Snape senior, arching his eyebrow gracefully. Snape grimly handed Dumbledore Snape the floo powder and backed away, not wanting to dirty himself. It was difficult seeing his father standing before him, imposing and regal in an muggle outfit of the eighteenth century court of Louis XVI. He nearly reminded Severus and Senas of an pompous Lucius Malfoy.  
  
"Le Palais De Mal Foi!" Dumbledore Snape called out, his voice crackling with energy and stepping into the flames. Senas, Remus, Bill, and Neville all gathered round, adjusting their clothing at the last minute. Senas then turned to Severus, his lips drawn.   
  
"Brother, I must inform you... Take care of Remy, if.." Senas whispered low enough for no one to hear except his twin. Snape's mouth twisted into a sneer.   
  
"I am sure Saxen would enjoy having a werewolf for a pet." Severus quietly whispered, "But Hermione and I would not appreciate that, so you must stay alive, Senas, and that is an order."  
  
"Ever the older brother." Senas said with a wry chuckle. "Six minutes does make a diffrence."  
  
"GO!" Severus snarled, pushing his brother into the flames. Remus shot him a dark glare and followed, clutching to Neville and Bill for balance, he was horrible with high heels.  
  
As Ginny watched Harry disappear, she scowled, knowing Harry would do something stupid. She had to do something, but what? She turned on her heel and ran over to her mother down in the kitchen. Ginny burst in the room, her face pale and red hair flying in a torrent around her cheeks.   
  
"MUM! HARRY'S GONE!" Ginny shouted, her eyes wide. "He's gone to Snape's."  
  
"Oh dear." Molly said, turning to face the clock, where Harry's name was headed to "TRAVEL". Ginny then grabbed the Floo powder and flooed herself over to Snape's, anxious not to waste a moment, the plan would be ruined if Harry ever got his hands on Snape.   
  
Molly Weasley threw her hands in the air helplessly as she watched Ginny disappear into the flames. Molly then scowled, drawing herself up to her full petite frame, and headed after her daughter, but not before sending an owl to Arthur, Andromeda, Kingsley, McGonagall, and Moody informing them of the situation. After all, the fate of the wizarding world was on Severus Snape's shoulders, and she intended to see the evil git You Know Who dead by Severus Snape's hand and no other. He had suffered more than any other at the dark lord's hand. Harry was a young boy, no matter if he had managed to survive five meetings with the dark lord....  
  
  
  
HARRY landed with a thump in a simple and ornate fireplace. He looked around the room facing him. The room was warm, with a couch and two wing chairs facing the fire, and a nice bearskin rug on the floor. Hary tentatively slunk towards the end of the couch, and looked further, into a small galley kitchen, explored a vacant study which was strewn with clothes, blankets and parchments. Harry then moved towards the master bedroom, hoping Snape would be there and Harry could jinx him and take his place, perhaps. He deserved to go, not the evil git Snape. If he had managed to get ahold of Dumbledore, none of this would have happened, Harry thought as he opened the door and frowned, seeing messy bedsheets, bedclothes, and underwear strewn across the bed. Harry certainly knew he would not want to know what had happened in the bedroom earlier, and stalked out of the room. He knew he had to go to the party, and what better disguise than one of himself? no one was expecting him....  
  
  
  
MOLLY crashed into Ginny, the two landing awkardly into Snape's fireplace. Seeing how deserted the place was, the woman and young girl knew that something was going to happen, and hurried over to Malfoy Manor as quick as they could, knowing Harry would cause a disaster, Headmaster Dumbledore wouldn't be happy to see Harry at the masquerade, Ginny mentioned to her mother. Molly nodded sharply and sighed, holding on to her daughter as the two headed to the flames, Molly whispering a silent prayer for her daughter and family, hoping everyone would be safe. She did not relish the speical preivew that the Boggart had given her a few years ago, of her darlings dead and gone at the evil lord's whim.  
  
  
  
ARTHUR WEASLEY, Andromeda Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Minerva McGonagall, and Alastor Moody all echoed shouts of "Malfoy Manor!" in their respective locations, knowing what danger would loom ahead for their valiant soliders in the serpent's den.   
  
Arthur knocked into Molly and Ginny, surprised to see the two lurking around Malfoy's fireplace. A moment later, Minerva McGonagall emerged in a cloud of powder, tight-lipped and pale, adjusting a stuffed vulture cap, with Tonks and Kingsley peering over her, wands drawn and faces pale. The small reconissance group all agreed to grab Harry and get out, leaving the rest of the Order unaware as to their presence.   
  
Minerva knew Albus would die knowing she was in danger.   
  
Tonks gripped her wand tightly, promising herself to grab Narcissa, she did owe her nephew a favor.  
  
Kingsley slowly strode across the deserted foyer, eyes screwing shut mometarily as images of a long ago horror overtook him, and with a burst of energy, the man vowed not to allow any Death Eaters to escape, no one needed such evil in the world.   
  
Alastor Moody had all the incentive he needed, Constant Vigilance.. and a taste for revenge, his hair had only recently began to grow back.... Moody growled as he fingered his hip flask tenderly, following the prim posture of Minerva into a dark hallway, the Weasleys having gone up to the party with Andromeda, and Kingsley was manning the floo, making sure no unwelcome surprises made their way to the Order.   
  
Well, the party has begun, all of the Order members thought grimly as they all began their missions, ready to make history.  
  
A/N: Sorry for the cliffie, I swear I will update this weekend, thank god my midterms are halfway over.. I do wish I was as good as Shiv, Lily Malfoy, Corazon... you should go check out their fics, go on! :) and thanks to ALL my reviewers, and anyone who has read this fic...you rock! 


	18. Countdown

Lucius Malfoy's eyes widened as Sebastian Snape stepped through his fireplace dressed in a ornate outfiut fresh out of the seventeenth cenury court of Louis XVI. No one had seen Sebastian Snape in over fifteen years, not since the fall of The Dark Lord, he had isolated himself in his manor on the French coast ever since.   
  
"Lord Snape!" Malfoy whispered awestruck as Sebastian moved towards him with all the grace and decorum of a Lord. "How pleased I am to see you at my humble New Year's Eve celebration."  
  
"Lucius Malfoy." Sebastian said with a sharp incline of his grey-streaked head. "I am only here for my son, he has requested my presence at the event."  
  
"I see, Lord Snape." Lucius Malfoy said, putting on his mask of polite etiquette. "Would you like a drink? Narcissa has done a wonderful job of preparing the refreshments." The two men headed over to a small bar, and made small talk, mostly on Lucius's part until the fireplace glowed green. "I must do greet my guests." Lucius said with a white smile as he headed over to the fireplace, greeted by another surprise guest, in the form of Senas Snape.   
  
"I was not aware that you travelled in these cirles, Senas." Lucius replied coldly as the two men studied each other with critical eyes. Senas held his chin high, looking more like Severus than himself as he drew his cape tightly around him.   
  
"I was extended an invitation by my big brother. Knowing him, I knew I should accept, but I made sure I could bring my family, to share this moment with them." Senas said with a smile. "My wife, Romana, my two sons Wesley and Francis." Senas said, keeping a firm grip on Romana's arm and extending his arm towards his two sons. Wesley was a slim, tall youth of around twenty, sporting classic Snape features with long brown hair tied back in a ponytail, with a horribly familiar fang earring glinting in the candlelight. Francis was a strapping youth of seventeen, his black hair unkempt and a strong air about him, as if he was on a mission.   
  
"Snape. Frank Snape." Francis said suddenly, a small smile on his lips. Wesley seemed surprised as he turned partially to Frank as if to question him of a decision. Lucius smiled coldly and escorted his new arrivals to where Sebastian stood, tall and forboding next to the fireplace, chatting amiably with McNair, Nott, Rosier, Crabbe, and Goyle.  
  
  
  
Severus Snape swept the floo powder from his shoulders and gripped Hermione's arm in an iron grip as he made his way to the corner where Narcissa and Draco stood, making sure the two would take care of Hermione. Severus knew Hermione was in good hands with Narcissa, she wasn't evil, only married to it. With several promises extracted from Narcissa at hermione's welfare, Severus then swept away in search of Lucius, eager to discover the plans of the evening. He had heard rumours that The Dark Lord would appear at midnight, and take the wizarding world into a new era of power and glory. Severus shivered slightly as he approached his old schoolmate, greeting him formally.   
  
"Lucius." Temped sorely to call him Lucky, as his brother always did behind his back, Severus held back a small uncharacterstic smile. "As always, your parties are wonderful. Draco seems to be doing well, you must be proud."  
  
"Yes." Lucius said with a smile. "Your brother and father have arrived, punctual as usual." Lucius said, slightly miffed that Lord Snape had been cold to him all evening. "Perhaps you can put in a word with your father..." the two men turned towards Lord Snape, deep in conversation, unaware of the events transpiring only a few yards away in a dark corridor.   
  
"Watch where you're going!" Arthur hissed to Molly, nearly stumbling over her and Ginny. "We just need to find Harry and get him out of here, and don't let anyone see us. All right?"  
  
"But how can we, we haven't seen any of their glamouries." Ginny pointed out as Molly nodded in agreement. Arthur stood deep in thought for a moment, and then smiled as Ginny spoke. "We can do our own! I remember watching Bill do something this morning." Ginny continued as she held out her wand and enhanced her father into a man vaguely resembling Lockhart. Molly and Ginny giggled as Arthur scowled slightly, wishing for a mirror, but settling for his wife's assurance that he looked ravishing. Ginny in turn enhanced her mother into a voltumprous temptress which resembled Narcissa Malfoy. Ginny then put her wand near herself, enhancing herself into a vague replica of Fleur Decalour.   
  
"We have to make Professor McGonagall give you extra credit for this." Arthur muttered as the group made their way into the party, searching for Harry.   
  
  
  
Minerva McGonagall hurriedly put on a glamourie, praying that Albus would not see through her charm, wishing she knew WHO Albus looked like. She had never met Lord Snape, only written with him through letters cocncerning young Severus's behavior at Hogwarts. Minerva held her back ramrod straight and made her way into the masquerade, her wand tucked away in a hidden pocket, more than ready to be ussed at the slightest indication of trouble. She spotted a formal grey-haired gentleman standing near the fireplace and knew that it would be a good place to start, the man seemed noble and knowledgeable about the current situation. Before she could make her way to the handsome gentleman, she was intercepted by a young man looking remarkably like Lockhart and swept away to dance, remarking that she looked amazingly like an acquaintance of his, Arabella Figg.   
  
  
  
Kingsley Shacklebolt stood stiffly near the fireplace, keeping an eye out on the ongoing floo actions. He hoped Harry wouldn't mess things up, the Order had worked so hard and so long for this event. Kingsley then leaned slightly against the wall, crossing his arms and sharply studying each nook and cranny in the foyer, looking for anything amiss, wishing Mad-Eye was with him, the guy could see through anything. A chill crept up Kingsley's spine as he heard the music drift down from upstairs, a redention of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.   
  
  
  
Alastor Moody and Andromeda Tonks slowly made their way through room after room, following the feeling Moody got in his gut. Tonks prayed that it wouldn't turn out to be gas, and held her wand at the ready, prepared to take out anything and anyone who crossed their path. They had ecountered several guests, and had questioned them, but none had seemed aware of a young boy of seventeen, the only youths there being the Malfoy boy, the Snape boys and two girls. The party seemed to be going along well, Tonks could hear the music and lively chatter drifting up from the floor below them. They had searched the entire dungeon, first floor, second floor, and now were on the third and final floor, and had turned up nothing.   
  
"Tonks!" Moody growled, as he pointed his wand towards a dusty spot in the hallway. "Shoeprint... Potter's. It seems to be heading towards the second floor... just a few minutes ago. We must have missed him, somehow. I really should get that eye checked." Moody growled as Tonks flew downstairs, with Moody quietly clunking behind. They just had to warn the others, but how?  
  
HARRY POTTER had finally found the party, but where was Snape? Harry tightened his invisibility cloak around himself and slowly and carefully made his way through the crowd, carefully avoiding a long-haired young man with a fang earring just like Bill's, and a man who looked just like Lockhart dancing with a lovely woman looking remarkably like a young Arabella Figg. Harry then spied Snape deep in discussion with Lucius Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle Senior, Walden McNair, and Theodore Nott. A tall grey-haired man stared right at him with a pair of deep coal-black eyes identical to Snape's. Harry shivered, and wanted only to grab Hermione and kill Voldemort. Speaking of Hermione, there she was, sitting in a chair talking with Draco Malfoy and a dark-haired young man with a hooked nose and a thin scowl resembling Snape. Recgonization struck Harry; the young hook-nosed boy was Saxen Snape!  
  
  
  
Hermione was trying to keep herself comfortable, but Saxen would just not stop moving around. She shifted in her seat, listening to Draco and Neville discuss the various dancing couples, and discussing their new year's resolutions. Hermione rolled her eyes, their conversation was so boring. Narcissa had left a few minutes earlier, having to put in a few appearances for the sake of Lucius, or "Lucky" as she called him. Hermione giggled at the thought of Mr. Malfoy being called "Lucky", she really did need something to laugh about, the evening was so nerve-wracking. She suddenly shivered as she felt a cold stab of fear take over her body, she could feel Saxen start deep within her.   
  
"Neville?" Hermione asked as Draco got up and headed towards his father, having been beckoned over to join him and Snape. Neville shrugged and stood up, stretching.  
  
BONG  
  
As Saxen stood up, Harry knew he had to do something, to get her away from all these evil Snapes. Harry then emerged from his invisibility cloak, lunging for Hermione. The clock boomed out..   
  
BONG  
  
Minerva McGonagall turned at the sound of the clock, knowing Voldemort would make his appearance at that time. She caught a motion of shadow out of the corner of her eye, near Hermmione. Her eyes widened as she recgonized the form of Harry Potter. She opened her mouth to scream..  
  
BONG  
  
Remus "Romana" Lupin sighed, he hated this dress, these high heels, and hated Senas for torturing him with those looks he sent him from across the room. Remus sighed and adjusted a breast, wondering how women could have these things.... He suddenly went pale, wasn't that Harry standing near Hermione?...Remus moved to run towards Senas, to warn him..  
  
BONG  
  
Albus "Sebastian Snape" sensed something out of the ordirnary. He saw Remus start lunging towards Senas. He knew the two would not be seized by fits of ardor in the middle of a serious mission, and focused his attention to where Remus was heading. Albus cursed a very un-albus like curse as he saw Harry's head slowly reveal itself from behind Neville "Frank" Longbottom. Albus groaned inwardly as he fumbled for his wand to send out the signal...  
  
BONG  
  
Arthur "Lockhart" Weasley turned at the sound of the fourth bong, wondering why the grey-haired man was acting so strangely. Arthur then realized with a start, the grey-haired man was Albus Dumbledore.. but why would... Arthur then directed his attention to where the older man had directed his, and his heart stopped. Harry Potter was about to grab Hermione Granger. He let out an uncharacterstic squeak, trying to warn Molly and Ginny...  
  
BONG  
  
Senas Snape whirled around from his posistion with Bill "Wesley" Weasley and spotted Remus's and Albus's fumblings. Something was certainly up. He thinned his lips and then let his jaw drop, somehow Harry had eluded his "guards" at 12 Grimmauld and arrived at the masquerade, about to ruin everything.. something had to be done. Senas took a pace forward, but was halted by the echo of the bells..  
  
BONG  
  
Time was running out, Kingsley could hear the bonging from his posistion near the fireplace. He just had to do something, to help his comrades. Kingsley swept upstairs, vowing it would be only a moment, but halted in his footsteps as he saw a dark figure making its way to the ballroom where everyone was located. Kingsley shuddered, his stomach roiling. He had just seen Lord Voldemort, and survived...  
  
BONG  
  
Ron Weasley woke up from his bed with a start. He had dreamed that Harry was attacking Hermione, and he swore he could hear bells bonging in the distance. Ron shivered and headed downstairs to make himself some hot chocolate. He had been wondering where everyone was all day. As Ron entered the kitchen, the clock caught his eyes and he dropped his mug with a crash, Mum's, Dad's, Bill's and Ginny's pictures were under "in peril".. he had to do something...  
  
BONG  
  
With a start, Petunia Dursley dropped the dish she had been washing, amazed at how many owls were flying in the air that night. There must be something important going on in the wizarding world that night. She hadn't seen so many owls since that night Lily and her husband died. She pursed her lips, and clutched the dish to her chest in a silent prayer for her odd nephew...  
  
BONG  
  
With a start, Hermione felt a breeze, and turned to face Harry. Her chocolate brown eyes widened with a start, and her mouth opened to shout for Severus..  
  
BONG  
  
Severus spied a shadow near the doorway, he knew the Dark Lord was coming, it was time to put their plan into action, and he turned to Albus, taking a step back to avoid a hex being thrown by said man.   
  
"Albus?"  
  
BONG  
  
A loud cheer eminated from the crowd as Voldemort made his appearance. All of the glamouries disappeared at the stroke of midnight, cries of surprise coming from the Death Eaters as Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGoangall, Bill Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Arthur Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Molly Weasley and Tonks made their shocking appearances.  
  
  
  
Hexes flew through the air, shouts of "Avada Kedavra!" resonated throughout the room. Harry managed to grab Hermione and drag her to the corridor, whispering in her ear that she would be all right, he was here to rescue her from Snape and kill Voldemort.  
  
"Harry, you're crazy." Hermione gasped, as she felt Saxen take a somersault. "You can't do this."  
  
"Oh, and Snape can?" Harry remarked coldly as he reached the stairwell heading to the foyer. "Or Malfoy?" Harry sarcastically spat out as Draco Malfoy headed towards the two, his wand drawn.   
  
"Granger, pleasure to be rescuing you again." Draco drawled, a bead of sweat trickling down his brow, a contrast to his cool appearance. "Potter, why don't you go home to the weasel, I'll take care of--" Draco was cut off by a sharp curse from harry's wand, and the young man flew backward into the stairwell, crashing down the stairs in a blue flash of light.   
  
"DRACO!" Hermione shouted, gasping and gripping her belly as she tried to head to the crumpled, still form of Draco. Harry pulled her away sharply, heading in another direction, towards a room adjacent to the ballroom, where shouts could be heard. Hermione's eyes filled with tears as she thought of her Severus battling the Dark Lord. How she wanted to be there at his side, supporting him and the rest of the Order. 


	19. Where's Hermione?

Severus, Remus, Senas, and Albus watched the Dark Lord enter the ballroom with sharp eyes. The Weasleys kept their eyes on the Death Eaters, their wands out and ready for action. Neville Longbottom was in the far corner, watching everything with his jaw slightly open and wand at the ready, trembling in his palm. Each person stood stock-still, ready to pounce at the slightest indication from Dumbledore.  
  
  
  
"Albus Dumbledore. So pleased you could make it." Voldemort wheezed and hissed, his red eyes directed at Dumbledore. "What, you didn't send Potter to finish me off? you must be losing your touch, old man." At that, Dumbledore gave no reply, merely stood his posistion with Snape and Senas hovering near him like lifesize bookends. "Charming, you have brought the traitor twins at that, they do make good lap dogs." At that, Snape's jaw twitched, and Senas thinned his lips into oblivion. Remus slowly took Senas's hand into his, gripping it tightly for a nanosecond, giving him what encouragement he could use.   
  
  
  
"Master!" Rodolphus Lestrange called out, bowing down at Voldemort's feet. He was abruptly killed in a flash of green light by Voldemort.   
  
"I cannot abide fools, and he was one." Murmurs quietly made their way aroundd the room as Dumbledore pulled himself to his full frame, his eyes cold and steely, facing down Voldemort with the twins at his sides.  
  
"STUPEFY!" rang out from somewhere in the crowd, and the battle began with Bill Weasley throwing a jelly legs hex at McNair, Neville Longbottom ducking behind a chair and hexing Funnuclus on Crabbe senior, who had been standing nearby.   
  
  
  
Magic erupted within the room. After casting a hex on Crabbe senior, Neville Longbottom ran to help Dumbledore and Snape, after all, that was the purprose of his presence. He wanted to live up to his parents' names, he wanted to honor Frank and Alice Longbottom. Neville had his wand out, just as Dumbledore rose his wand to hex Voldemort, Voldemort held his wand up high.  
  
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Neville screamed, green light evenloping Voldemort. Voldemort rose in the air, giggling an high, keening giggle which grated on everyone's nerves.   
  
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Dumbledore shouted, as the other members of the Order joined in, the flash of green becoming so brilliant, the room was glowing in green.  
  
Harry Potter had dragged Hermione with him upstairs, hearing shouts and then an explosion of green. He knew the Killing Curse was being thrown. In a fit of terror, Harry threw Hermione in an abadoned room and locked the door. It was for her safety, Harry said to himself with determination as he lunged to the door and cast the Killing curse at the thing held in the evenlope of green light...  
  
Severus Snape's eyes narrowed dangerously as he saw the gangly seventeen year old Harry Potter cast the final curse that brought down the Dark Lord in a roll of thunder and quake of the house, which had been filled with green, was now abruptly dark. Figures ran around the crowded ball room, screaming and still throwing hexes. Severus then strode briskly over to Harry, prepared to yank the boy's wand out of his hands...  
  
  
  
"Draco!" Tonks screamed, as she had fallen upon the uncoscioius form of her own nephew. "Draco...? wake up! Draco?" Tonks began crying, the tears dripping down her face to fall upon the boy's dusty set of robes. She cradled the blond boy in her arms. After a long moment, the boy slowly stirred, a quiet whimper making its way from his milky throat.   
  
"..Tonks..?" Draco whispered as Narcissa had finally made her way from the rubble in a far corner which had collapsed during the final curse. "Mum." Draco whispered as Narcissa swept her son in her arms, a final burst of andrealine propelling the women to the second floor, knowing Albus would know what to do. He just had to.  
  
  
  
Senas and Remus sobbed together, holding the other as tightly as they could in the hallway outside the ballroom. The two men were haggard beyond their years, but a childlike gleam found its way into Senas's eyes, where no gleam had been for nearly thirty years. The two men drew closely to each other, reveling into the warmth of the other's body. Senas lowered his lips toward Remus's slowly, but the two sprang apart at an agonized scream peircing the quiet air.   
  
"That sounds like Hermione!" Remus shouted, looking wildly about him as Severus shot from the doorway like a bat out of hell, looking the part with his greasy hair flying and his robes flapping about him as the man sprinted towards a locked door.  
  
"OH, no you DON'T!" a scream came from right behind Severus, as he was flattened to the floor by a raven-haired and green-eyed flying dervish.   
  
"Harry! get off!" Remus Lupin shouted, trying to haul Harry off of Severus. Harry twisted and turned, grabbing Remus's wand from his hand and casting a curse on Severus, the hook-nosed professor writhing in a fit of agony.   
  
"That's for hurting Hermione!" Harry screamed, a feral glow lighting his green eyes. "And Remus!"  
  
"Harry..." Severus whispered, as his eyes clenched in pain, and a muscle worked near his jaw. A moment later, the man went utterly still, a keening cry twisting from deep into his chest right at the very moment he collapsed.   
  
"YOU KILLED HIM!" Senas screamed, lunging at Harry...  
  
A/N: Sorry about the cliffie, again.. the story's almost done.. Thanks to ALL of my readers and reviewers! 


	20. Saxen Lupin Snape

Harry Potter couldn't believe it. Professor Snape was trying to kill him. Harry screamed as Snape lunged at him, his hands around his neck. He had tried to warn everyone, but no one had listened to him. Harry kicked and wriggled under Snape's grip, but then yelped as he was roughly thrust against the carpet, facing a uncoscious Snape...Two snapes? that just couldn't be right, harry thought as everything went black.   
  
  
  
Remus Lupin had finally pulled Senas off of Harry and was now working on the lock to the room where Hermione was hidden away into, while Senas and Molly Weasley attended to Severus, who was slowly coming round. A shriek pierced the air when the door opened, causing Remus to cringe, he so hated being a werewolf sometimes.  
  
"Hermione?"  
  
"REMUS!" Hermione screamed, throwing herself at him, her arms wound tightly around him. "Where's Severus?"  
  
"He's here.. he'll be all right." Remus said softly. "What..?" Remus muttered as he eyed Hermione. He could smell something, but what...  
  
"Hermione, dear, why don't you go lie down, I'll be right with you." Molly Weasley said gently as she pried Hermione from Remus. "Poor dear.." Molly whispered as the two women sat down in Lucius Malfoy's library on a bed, which had been transfigured from a couch by Professor McGonagall. Anti-Apparation charms had been placed over the Manor and all of the floo networks had been shut down by Kingsley Shacklebolt and Mad-Eye Moody to prevent any rogue deatheaters from escaping the Manor.  
  
"Where's Severus?"  
  
"He's all right, Hermione." Senas said, gripping Hermione's hand in a firm grip. "I can feel it. Don't worry."  
  
"Senas?"  
  
"I said, do not worry." Senas snapped in a snapelike manner, his eyes distant. "He has gone to help Albus, and so should I." Senas said in a whisper as he set his eyes upon Remus, and with a quick nod, swept away into the dark corridor in search of the regenade deatheaters.  
  
  
  
Hermione was in so much pain. She could feel Saxen coming, and wished there was something she could do, but Molly had told her it wasn't a good idea to use magic with a newborn, they were so vulnerable. Hermione sighed, she did have seven children, and she knew what she was talking about. Molly and Minerva stayed with Hermione, while the battle raged on outside the library doors...  
  
  
  
Tonks and Narcissa had made their way to the library, where they had found Harry trussed up like a christmas turkey.   
  
"Tonks! let me loose, everyone's gone mad!" Harry shouted, his glasses slipping down his nose. Tonks sadly shook her head no as Narcissa peeked into the ballroom, hearing jinxes and curses being thrown.   
  
"Dumbledore's in there.. but it isn't a good idea to go in there.." Narcissa whispered as she swept back a lock of blond hair, but then gasped as she heard a scream. "Isn't that the Granger girl?"  
  
"Lady Snape." Draco corrected in a hoarse whisper. "She and Snape.." Draco broke off in a fit of coughing.   
  
"I'd better put you with her, then, it will be safe. Severus won't allow both of you to come to harm." Narcissa said fondly. "And that girl does need help." Narcissa whispered as she slowly opened the library door, with Tonks following behind with Draco in her arms. The two women immediately put Draco on a couch transfigrured from Lucius Malfoy's desk, and headed over to Molly, Hermione, and McGonagall.  
  
Severus Snape, Remus Lupin, and Senas Snape had joined Mad-Eye Moody, Bill Weasley and Arthur Weasley at the head of the corridor. The six men quickly drew out their wands upon approaching the ball room, which was the center of all magical activity. The room was glowing a fierce green, nearly blinding one's eyes, except for Moody, who only growled that it was quite the sight.   
  
Albus Dumbledore held Voldemort in a continous state of death, Voldemort seemed to be reisisting, although on the brink of death. It seemed the boy wonder hadn't killed his archenemy, Severus thought dryly as he spotted Lucius Malfoy frozen in a corner, wand raised.   
  
"Lucky?" Senas called out, cocking his head and making his way towards Lucius. "Oh my god, he's Petrified.." Senas laughed, waving a hand in front of Lucius and making faces at the frozen man.   
  
"Stop it, Senas, there's time for that later." Severus snapped, as he turned at the sound of Dumbledore's voice.   
  
"You boys go, Mad-Eye and I will take care of things here. William, Arthur, you two take the students to the hospital wing with the portkey. Senas, Remus, you two make one last sweep of the manor, and Severus, you take Lucius to the hospital wing at Hogwarts using a separate portkey." Dumbledore said, indicating the two chairs. "The black one is for Severus, the silver one is for you boys." Dumbledore said, twinkling merrily as each person nodded grimly and set off to their tasks.  
  
  
  
Neville Longbottom turned at the sound of footsteps, and hid behind a suit of armor, his wand drawn. He gave out a long breath of relief upon seeing it was Professor Lupin and Senas Snape. The two turned out to be making the last checks of the Manor. Neville offered his help, and joined the two on making their rounds, ecountering several more escaped Death Eaters and disposing of them as neccescarry with help from Kingsley Schacklebolt, who had set up a floo between Azkaban and the Manor. A long while later, the four gentlemen headed up to the library to see if the women had made any leeway in taking care of the wounded and Hermione.   
  
"Neville, you should join the boys at Hogwarts." Arthur weasley said, as he indicated a portkey, Ginny standing at his side.  
  
"Well.. as soon as I know everything's all right."  
  
"I promise everything is fine, Neville." Lupin said with a small smile as Senas draped an arm around Neville's shoulder in a brotherly fashion.   
  
"I swear on the name of Snape, Nev. That enough?"  
  
"Yes." Neville said with a small smile, still shaken from Senas's touch, he looked so much like Snape. Arthur smiled, and Ginny waved goodbye to Professor McGonagall as the group disappeared to Hogwarts.   
  
  
  
"Oh dear. Minerva, could you conjure up a hot pot of tea? we'll be here for a while." Molly said with a sigh as she held Hermione's hand. "Drat Harry for knocking Severus senseless. He should be here."   
  
"He will." Senas said with a smile. "For now, let me and Remus be his replacement. After all, I am pratically a copy of him." The bed sagged as Senas took a seat near Hermione, gripping her hand in his large hands. Remus sat on Hermione's other side, dabbing at her brow with a wet towel. After a while, Senas went to see if Severus had returned from Azkaban with Lucius.   
  
"He hasn't come back yet, Senas." Kingsley said from his perch near the only functioning fireplace. Senas sighed and nodded in understanding as he took a seat near Kingsley, accio-ing a flagon of Firewhiskey. "Kingsley?"  
  
"No thank you.. I'm on duty."  
  
"More for me, then." Senas said with a giggle, gulping down a fourth of the bottle as Kingsley rolled his eyes and shook his head. He momentarily wondered what made the Snapes tick, they were so diffrent, but yet so alike. Senas hiccuped, and shook his head as if to clear it. "Better go see to Hermione, and thank you, Kingsley." Senas said with a smile and nod of his dark head. Kingsley watched the sinewy man stride away in the darkness, and smiled. It was the first time anyone had ever thanked him. A tear made its way down his cheek proudly, and Kingsley was proud he was an Auror for the Order of the Phoenix.  
  
  
  
Remus let out a high pitched shriek like a woman who had found a rat, as the dark figure crashed through the fireplace.   
  
"Remus!" Minerva McGonagall scolded as Severus Snape unfolded himself somewhat awkardly and limped over to Hermione's side. It had been several hours, and Saxen's arrival seemed to be forthcoming, within the hour, Molly had predicted with a sharp nod of her head.   
  
"Severus, I don't think you..." At that, Severus cued the ever so famous withering glare. Molly harrumphed sharply and shrugged. "Don't say I didn't warn you boys. Narcissa, Minerva.."  
  
  
  
A high-pitched shriek pierced the air fifteen long minutes later, bringing a smile to an old man's lips. It seemed that Saxen Lupin Snape had arrived right on time. The tiny boy had quite a set of lungs to match his thatch of dark hair, and hooked nose. Severus frowned at the sight of his son's overlarge nose and groaned as Senas elbowed him.   
  
"Snape trait lives on, I see."  
  
"Drop dead."  
  
"I'm proud of you too, Sev." Senas remarked as he put an arm around Remus's waist. "What is his name, anyway?"  
  
"You'll see at the naming cermony tomorrow." Hermione spoke up as Narcissa placed Saxen into Hermione's arms. Severus refused to budge from his spot next to Hermione, keeping an hand on the baby as they were the last people to leave Palais de Mal Foi.  
  
The next night, all of the heroes of the Last Battle were gathered into 12 Grimmauld's dining room, ready for the naming ceremony. Hermione looked wan and pale, although she was glowing with pride, clutching on Severus's arm, as he held the baby in his arms.   
  
"He is named Saxen Lupin Snape." Severus announced. Remus Lupin stared at Severus, mouth slightly open in surprise. "His Godfather is Draco Taliesin Malfoy, " Severus continued in a crisp tone. "And his godmother is the esteemed Virginia Weasley."   
  
Applause rang out through the small room as Severus handed his baby boy to Albus Dumbledore, ending the ceremony. Cups of wine appeared, and a much-deserved celebration began with Senas and Remus slow-dancing towards the hall. Draco and Ginny shared a dance, earning a dark glare from all the weasley men, and a smile from Molly. That night, the past was forgotten, and the future was a golden promise, ready to ring true.  
  
*~ The End~*  
  
A/N: sorry for the wicked cliffies. Let me know if you want a sequel or not. I've got the sketches of a plot in mind, but I'm not so sure yet. THANK YOU to all my readers and/or reviewers!!! I'm so proud of you! :) 


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